LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 
, 'Copyright 30. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




EVENING 
THOUGHTS 



AUG « 1897 

TRANCES 
^ RIDLEY 
HRVERGRL 








The Library 
of Congress 

WASHINGTON 



Copyrighted by Henry Altemus, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsyl- 
vania, on June iq, iSq~, in the One Hundred and Twenty first Year 
of the Independence of the Ut.ited States of America. 



■/H-iWf 



Henry Altemus, Manufacturer, 
philadelphia. 



CONTENTS 



i. The Royal Bounty, 

2. The Opened Treasure, 

3. The King's Signature and Seal, 

4. The Candour of Christ, 

5. From Death Unto Life, 

6. Justified, .... 

7. The Royal Wine, 

8. The Gift of Peace, 

9. The Abiding Joy, 

10. The Sure Afterward, 

11. No Hurt, .... 

12. The Putting Forth of the Sheep, 

13. Safe Stepping, 

14. Thine, .... 

15. Unto Thee for Ever, 

16. Captive Thoughts, 

17. The Imagination of the Thoughts 

18. The Everlasting Service, 

19. Most Blessed for Ever, 

20. Do Thou for Me, 

21. Marvellously Helped, 

22. Thou Understandest, . 

23. The Proof of His Purpose, 

24. The Garnering of the Least Grain, 

25. Vindication, 

26. Wakeful Hours, . 

27. Midnight Rememberings, 

28. The Bright Side of Growing Older, 

29. The Earnests of More and More, 



of the Heart 



7 
11 

14 

18 
22 
26 
30 
34 
36 
40 

43 
46 

49 

53 
56 
60 

63 
66 
70 
73 

77* 
80 
82 
86 
89 
92 
95 
97 
100 



CONTENTS. 



30. 
3i- 



The Perpetual Presence, 
The Fame-excelling Reality, 



104 
107 



EVENING MELODIES 



1. Consecration Hymn, 

2. Set Apart, . 

3. The Secret of a Happy Day 

4. The Unfailing One, 

5. On the Lord's Side, 

6. True-hearted, 

7. By Thy Cross and Passion, 

8. The Opened Fountain, 

9. The Precious Blood of Jesus 

10. I Remember Thee, 

11. Knowing, 

12. Trusting, 

13. Looking, 

14. Shining, 

15. Growing, 

16. Resting, 

17. Filling, 

18. Increase our Faith, 

19. ' Nobody knows but Jesus,' 

20. He is thy Life, 

21. Enough, 

22. All, . 

23. Only, 

24. My Master, 

25. Perfect Peace, 

26. I am with Thee, 

27. Trust and Distrust, 

28. Without Carefulness, 

29. Thy Reign, 

30. Tried, Precious, Sure, 

31. Just when Thou Wilt, 



113 
114 

116 
119 
121 
124 
126 
128 
130 
132 
134 
136 
137 
139 
143 
145 
146 
148 
150 
153 
154 
156 

157 
159 
161 

163 
165 
166 
171 
173 
174 



EVENING THOUGHTS 

FOR 
THE KINGS GUESTS. 



EVENING THOUGHTS 
FIRST DAY. 



Zbc 1Ro?al Bounty 

'And King Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her 
desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave 
her of his royal bounty.' — I Kings x. 13. 

ALL God's goodness to us is humbling. The more 
He does for us, the more ready we are to say, 
* I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, 
and of all the truth, which Thou hast shewed unto 
Thy servant.' 1 The weight of a great answer to 
prayer seems almost too much for us. 2 The grace of 
it is ' too wonderful ' 3 for us. It throws up in such 
startling relief the disproportion between our little, 
poor, feeble cry, and the great shining response of 
God's heart and hand, that we can only say : * Who 
am I, O Lord God, that Thou hast brought me 
hitherto? Is this the manner of man, O Lord God?'* 
But it is more humbling still, when we stand face 
to face with great things which the Lord hath done 
for us and given us, 5 which we never asked at all, 6 
never even thought of asking — royal bounty, with 
which not even a prayer had to do. It is so hum- 

1 Gen. xxxii. 10. 2 Luke v. 8, 9. 8 Job xlii. 3. 

* 2 Sam. vii. 18. 6 Ps. cxxvi. 3. 6 1 Kings iii. 13. 



8 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

bling to get a view of these, that Satan tries to set 
up a false humility to hinder us from standing still 
and considering how great things the Lord hath 
done for us ; l thus he also contrives to defraud our 
generous God of the glory due unto His name. 2 

For, of course, we do not praise for what we will 
not recognize. 

Let us try to baffle this device to-day, and give 
thanks for the overwhelming mercies 3 for which we 
never asked. ' Blessed be the Lord, who daily 
loadeth us with benefits.' 4 Just think of them de- 
liberately (they are far too many to think of all in a 
flash); and how many did we actually ask for? 
Even that poor little claim was never brought to 
bear on thousands of them. 

5 To begin at the beginning, we certainly did not 
ask Him to choose us in Christ Jesus before the 
world began, 6 and to predestinate us to be con- 
formed to the image of His Son. 7 Was not that 
' royal bounty ' indeed ? 

Then, we certainly did not ask Him to call us by 
His grace ; 8 for before that call, we could not have 
wished, much less asked, for it. 9 Then, who taught 
us to pray, 10 and put into our entirely corrupt and 
sinful hearts n any thought of asking Him for any- 
thing at all ? 12 Was not all this ' royal bounty? ' 

Look back at our early prayers. Has He not 
more than granted them ? did we even know how 
much He could do for us ? did He not answer prayer 



1 i Sam. xii. 7, 24. 2 Ps.xxix. 2. 8 Isa. lxiii. 7. 

* Ps. lxviii. 19 ; ib. ciii. 2. 6 2 Thess. ii. 13. 6 Eph. i. 4. 

7 Rom. riii. 29. 8 2 Tim. i. 9. 9 Rom. i. 6. 

M Luke xi. 1. u Job xxxvii. 19. u Rom. viii. 26. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. q 

by opening out new vistas of prayer before us, giv- 
ing us grace to ask for more grace, faith to plead 
for more faith ? * Why, it is all i royal bounty ' 
from beginning to end ! And this is going on now, 
and will go on forever, when He has brought us 
with gladness and rejoicing into His own palace. 2 
Not till then shall we understand about those riches 
of glory in Christ Jesus, 3 out of which He is even 
now pouring out the supply of all our need. 

The marginal reading is very beautiful ; it is, 
' that which he gave her according to the hand of 
King Solomon.' We may link this with David's 
grateful words: 'According to Thine own heart hast 
Thou done all these great things ; '* and again : 
'Thou hast dealt well with Thy servant, O Lord, 
according to Thy word.' 5 His hand, His heart, 
His word — what an immeasurable measure of His 
bounty! The great hand that holds the ocean in 
its hollow 6 is opened to satisfy our desire, 7 and to 
go beyond that exceeding abundantly, 8 giving us 
according to the heart that ' so loved the world,' 9 and 
according to the word™ which is so deep and full 
that all the saints that ever drew their hope and joy 
from it cannot fathom its ever upspringing fountain. 

Perhaps nobody knows the Bible well enough to 
know the full significance of saying, ' Be it unto me 
according to Thy word ; nl how much less can we 
imagine what shall be the yet unrevealed royal 
bounty according to His heart of infinite love and 



1 John i. 16 ; Rom. i. 17 ; Luke xvii. 5. 2 Ps. xlv. 15. 

8 Phil. iv. 19. * 2 Sam. vii. 21. 5 Ps. cxix. 65. 
6 Isa. xl. 12. 7 Ps. cxlv. 16. 8 Eph. iii. 20. 

9 John iii. 16. 10 John iv. 11, 14. u Luke i. 38. 



I0 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

hand of infinite power ! ' What I do thou knowest 
not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.' 1 'And ye 
shall ... be satisfied, and praise the name of the 
Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with 
you. n 

When this passing world is done, 
When has sunk yen glaring sun, 
When we stand with Christ in glory, 
Looking o'er life's finished story, 
Then, Lord, shall I fully know — 
Not till then — how much I owe ! 

R. M'Cheyne. 

1 John ziii. 7. Joel ii. s6. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



II 



SECOND DAY. 



Zbe ©peneb treasure, 

'The Lord shall open unto thee His good treasure.'— 
Deut. xxviii. 12. 

WHEN the wise men ' opened their treasures,' 
they brought out gold and frankincense and 
myrrh. 1 When Jehovah opens unto us His good 
treasure, we shall see greater things than these. 2 

The context of this rich promise seems to make 
' the heaven ' the treasure-house ; and in its primary 
and literal sense, the fertilizing rain is the first out- 
pouring of the opened treasure, soon after expanded 
into beautiful details of the ' precious things of 
heaven and . . . the precious things of the earth." 
But the spiritual blessings are closely interwoven 
with the temporal in the whole passage, and the 
faithful Israelites who did not ' look only for transi- 
tory promises ' 4 may well have claimed the opening 
of heavenly treasure through this promise. 5 

What shall He ' open unto thee ? ' In a word, 
'the unsearchable riches of Christ.' 6 In Him 



1 Matt. ii. it. 2 John i. 50. 3 Deut. xxxiii. 13-16. 

*Deut. xxviii. x-14. 5 Art. vii. 6 Eph. iii. 8. 



I2 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

1 are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowl- 
edge/ 1 but the Lord shall open them unto thee. 
Riches of goodness, and forbearance, and long- 
suffering 2 shall be meted out in infinitely gracious 
proportion to our sins, and provocations, and 
repeated waywardness ; exceeding riches 3 of grace 
for all our poverty now, and riches in glory 4 enough 
and to spare for all the needs of glorified capacities 
though all eternity. 'All are yours ' in Him. 5 

Faith is the key to this infinite treasury, and in 
giving us faith 6 He gives us treasure for treasure. 
He is ready to make us ' rich in faith,' 7 and then 
Btill to ' increase our faith ,8 ' unto all riches of 
the full assurance of understanding.' 9 Ask for this 
golden key, and then put it into the Lord's hand, 
that He may turn it in the lock. 

He shall open unto thee the good treasure not 
only of the living Word, but of the written word. 10 
This is indeed ' treasure to be desired,' 11 ' more to 
be desired than gold ; ' 12 and when Jehovah the 
Spirit opens this to us, we shall, we do, rejoice ' as 
one that findeth great spoil.' 13 Christ, the true 
Wisdom, has said, ' I will fill their treasures,' 14 and 
' the chambers shall be filled with all precious and 
pleasant riches.' 15 So that when He has done this 
we are ' made treasurers over treasuries,' 16 and may 
' bring forth out of ' our ' treasure things new and 
old.' 17 



1 Col. ii. 3. 2 Rom. ii. 4. 8 Eph. ii. 7. 

4 Phil. iv. 19. 6 j Cor. iii. 22. 6 Eph. ii. 8. 

7 Jas. ii. 5. 8 Luke xvii. 5. 9 Col. ii. 2. 

10 Luke xxiv. 32. " Prov. xxi. 20. 12 Ps. xix. 10. 

W Ps. cxix.162. 14 Prov. viii. 21. " Prov. xxiv. 4. 

18 Neh. xiii. 13. 17 Matt. xiii. 52. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



13 



It is only with God-given treasure that we can 
enrich others. When we want to give a word to 
another, it generally seems to come with more power 
if, instead of casting about for what we think likely 
to suit them, we simply hand over to them any 
treasure word which He has freshly given to our- 
selves. When He opens to us some shining bit of 
treasure, let us not forget : ' Freely ye have received, 
freely give.' 1 

Also, let us not stand idly waiting for some 
further opening of the treasure, 2 but * let there be 
search made in the king's treasure-house,' 3 ' in the 
house of the rolls where the treasures were laid 
up,' 4 where the ' decrees ' and 'records' of our 
King are to be 'found.' 5 They are truly 'hidden 
riches.' 6 Neither must we trust in our own store of 
spiritual treasures, whether of memory, experience, 
or even of grace, 7 for we shall soon come under the 
condemning word, ' O backsliding daughter, that 
trusted in her treasures ! ' 8 No, it is only continual 
drawing from His good treasure that will profit us, 
even ' the light of the knowledge of the glory of 
God in the face of Jesus Christ. ' 9 And ' we have 
this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency 
of the power may be of God and not of us.' 10 

1 Matt. x. 8. 2 Prov. ii. 4. 3 Ezra v. 17. 

4 Ezra vi. 1. 5 Ezra vi. 2. 6 I sa . X 1 V- g # 

f Jer. xlviii. 7. 8 J er . x \ix. 4. 9 2 Cor. iv. 6. 
10 2 Cor. iv. 7. 



j 4 EVENING THOUGHTS. 



THIRD DAY. 



Zbc IRing's Signature ant> Seal* 

* The writing which is written in the king's name, and 
sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.' — Esther 
viii. 8. 

SUCH is the writing which by God's great good- 
ness is the glory of our land and the treasure 
of our hearts, full of exceeding great and precious 
promises, 1 of commands not less great and not less 
precious, 2 and of words of prophecy (which are only 
words of promise a little farther off) ' more sure' 
than the testimony of an apostle's senses to the 
excellent glory and the heavenly voice. 3 

It is written in the King's name. The living 
Word of God, who came to declare, to manifest, 
and to glorify the Father, 4 has imprinted His own 
name upon the same testimony as written by the 
Spirit, and has given it to us as the ' word of God.' 5, 

It is sealed with the King's ring. Sealing is a 
special work of the Holy Spirit, exercised in differ- 
ent ways ; 6 and how clearly has He sealed this great 

1 2 Pet. i. 4. 2 Ps. cxix. 97. 3 2 Pet. i. 17-19. 

4 John i. 1 ; ib. xvii. 4, 6, 26. 5 John xvii. 14. 

• Eph. i. 13, etc. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



15 



writing with the King's ring, engraved with His own 
image and superscription, the convincing token of 
its being indeed from Himself, and sent forth in 
unchangeable authority and power \ l 

It is a double sealing, without and within 2 — first, 
the external and distinctly visible declaration that 
the writing is ' by the Holy Ghost ; ,3 and then the 
all-convincing evidence that it is so by its effectual 
working 4 in our own hearts with a power which, we 
know for ourselves, cannot be less than almighty 
and therefore divine. 5 

It is thus written in the King's name, and ' sealed 
with His own signet,' 6 not only that we may know 
it to be His, but that we may have the right humbly, 
yet confidently, to show Him, so to speak, His own 
name and His own signet as our claim for the ful- 
filment of all contained therein. 7 He will never 
fail to acknowledge them. 

This royal writing ' may no man reverse.' The 
King Himself cannot reverse it, for He changes 
not; 8 He ' cannot lie,' 9 ' He cannot deny 
Himself: ' 10 for unchangeable truth is not only an 
essential attribute, but the very essence of His 
Deity. 11 This one great ' cannot ' is the security for 
all that He ' can ' and will do. And if God ' can- 
not,' who can? All 'the craft and subtilty ' of 
devil or man is powerless against one syllable of this 
royal writing. ' The word of our God shall stand 
for ever,' 12 and the hoarse recoil of every furious 

1 John xii. 48. 2 2 Sam. xxiii. 2. 3 Mark xii. 36; 1 Pet. i. 11. 

4 1 Tbess. ii. 13. 5 Heb. iv. 12. 6 Dan. vi. 17. 

1 Gen. xxxviii. 17, 18, 25, 26. 8 Mai. iii. 6. 

9 Titus i. 2. 10 2 Tim. ii. 13. I 1 John xiv. 6. 

12 Isa. xl. 8. 



T 6 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

wave that is shattered into foam against this ever- 
lasting rock only murmurs, ' I cannot reverse it. n 

And is it not a most blessed and comforiing 
thought that we ourselves cannot reverse it, though 
this is the quarter from which we are practically- 
most tempted to dread its reversal ? For, 2 ' if we 
believe not, yet He abideth faithful.' All the earth- 
born or devil-breathed fogs and clouds of doubt, 
from the fall till - this hour, have not been able to 
touch the splendor of one star that He has set in 
the unassailable firmament of His eternal truth. 

All the promises of God are yea and Amen 3 — 
where? — ' in Himf the Son of God. 4 He holds 
these stars in His right hand ; He has held the 
great promise of eternal life for us 5 since God gave 
it to Him for us before the world began, and every 
other is subincluded. And it is one of His offices 
* to confirm the promises.' 6 Signed, sealed, held, 
and confirmed thus, should not ' It is written ' be 
enough for our present ' light, and gladness, and joy, 
and honour? ' 7 

Another clause of this beautiful verse is too striking 
to be passed over : ■ Write ye also for the Jews, as 
it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with 
the king's ring.' 8 Does not this remind us of 
another writing of our King: 'If ye abide 
in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask 
what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.' 
He places His own name and His own signet at 
the disposal of His ' abiding ' ones, and says : 9 

1 Num. xxiii. 20. 2 2 Tim. ii. 13. 8 2 Cor. i. 20. 

*2Tim. i. 1. 6 John x. 28. 6 Rom. xv. 8. 

* Esther viii. 16. 8 Esther viii. 8. 9 Isa. xlv. 11. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. z y 

'Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons, and 
concerning the work of My hands command ye 
Me. n ' Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall 
be established unto thee.' Should not this encour- 
age us in intercession ? Perhaps we are saying, like 
Esther, 2 ' How can I endure to see the destruction 
of my kindred ? ' Have we as yet fully availed 
ourselves of * the King's name/ and 'the King's 
ring?' 

For He hath given us a changeless writing, 
Royal decrees that light and gladness bring, 

Signed with His name in glorious inditing, 

Sealed on our hearts with His own signet ring, 

1 Job xxii. 28. 2 Esther yiii. 6. 



r g EVENING THOUGHTS. 



FOURTH DAY. 



Voz Candour of Cbrtet. 

' Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did : 
is not this the Christ ? ' — John iv. 29. 

YES ! it is not merely a vague general belief in 
Christ as the Teacher who ' will tell us all 
things n which suffices for heart conviction of ' the 
reality of Jesus Christ,' but the individual knowl- 
edge of Him as the Searcher who s told me all things 
that ever I did.' 2 This was what led the woman of 
Samaria to exclaim, 'Is not this the Christ ? ' this 
was to her the irresistible proof of His Messiahship. 
What about ourselves ? If we know anything of 
true intercourse with the Lord Jesus our experience 
will not be unlike hers. 3 When He who ' searches 
Jerusalem with candles ' 4 turns the keen flame of 
His eyes upon the dark corners of our hearts, and 
flashes their far-reaching, all-revealing beam upon 
even the far-off and long-forgotten windings of our 
lives ; when in His light we see the darkness, and 
in His purity we see the sin that has been, or that 

1 John iv. 25. 2 John iv. 29. 

8 Zeph. i. 12. * Rev. ii. 18, 23. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



19 



is ; when He * declareth unto man what is his 
thought,' 1 and then convinces that 'as he thinketh 
in his heart, so is he,' 2 then we know for ourselves 
that He ' with whom we have to do ' 3 is ' indeed 
the Christ.' 4 

He does not merely show us ; it is something 
more than that. It is not merely an invisible hand 
drawing away a veil from hidden scenes, and a 
light brought to bear upon them, so that we can 
see them if we will ; it is more personal, more 
terrible, and yet more tender than that. He tells 
us what we have done ; and, if we listen, the telling 
will be very clear, very thorough, very unmistak- 
able. 

At first we are tempted not to listen at all ; we 
shrink from the still small voice which tells us such 
startlingly unwelcome things. 

Many feel what one expressed : ' Whenever I do 
think about it, I feel so horribly bad that I don't 
like to think any more. ' Ah, ' if thou hadst known, 
even thou, at least in this thy day,' 5 that it was not 
mere ' thinking about it,' but the voice of the Sa- 
viour beginning to tell thee what would have cleared 
the way for ' the things which belong unto thy 
peace,' 6 what blessing might not the patient and 
willing listening have brought ! Oh, do not stifle 
the voice, do not fancy it is only uncomfortable 
thoughts which you will not encourage lest they 
should make you low-spirited ! Instead of that, ask 
Him to let His voice sound louder and clearer, and 
believe ' that the goodness of God leadeth thee to 

1 Amos iv. 13. 2 Prov. xxiii. 7. 3 Heb. iv. 13. 

* John iv. 42. & Luke xix. 42. 6 Isa. xlviii. 18. 



2 o EVENING THOUGHTS. 

repentance. 31 Only listen, and He will tell you not 
only all things that ever you did, but all things 
which He has done for you. He never leaves off in 
the middle of all He has to tell, unless we wilfully 
interrupt Him. 

Perhaps we have gone through all this, and known 
the humbling blessedness of being searched and 
1 told,' 2 and then pardoned and cleansed ; 3 and now 
again there is something not right. We hardly 
know what, 4 only there is a misgiving, a dim, vague 
uneasiness ; 5 we ' really don't know of anything in 
particular,' 6 and yet there is something unsatisfied 
and unsatisfactory. There is nothing for it but to 
come to our Messiah afresh, and ask Him to tell us 
what we have done, or are doing, which is not in 
accordance with His will. 7 It will be useless com- 
ing if we are not sincerely purposed to let Him tell 
us what He will, and not merely what we expect ; 8 
or if we hush up the first word of an unwelcome 
whisper, and say, ' Oh, that can't have anything to 
do with it ! ' or, * I am all right there, at any rate ! ' 
We must simply say, ' Master, say on ; ' 9 and 
perhaps He will then show us, as He did Simon, 10 
that we have not done Him the true and loving 
service which some poor despised one has ren- 
dered. 

Oh, never shrink from the probings of our be- 
loved Physician. 11 Dearer and dearer will the hand 
become as we yield to it. 12 Sweeter and sweeter will 

1 Rom. ii. 4. 2 Ps. xciv. 12. 3 Ps. xxxii. 1. 

* 2 Sam. xxi. 1. 6 Job xv. 11. • Job x. 2. 

' Ps. cxxxix. 23 ; Matt. vii. 21. 8 Job xiii. 22, 23. 

9 Luke vii. 40. 10 Luke vii. 44, 45, 46. u Matt. ix. 12. 

12 Job v. 18. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 2 1 

be the proofs that He is our own faithful Friend, 
who only wounds that He may perfectly heal. 1 

Only this I know, I tell Him all my doubts, and griefs, and 

fears ; 
Oh, how patiently He listens, and my drooping soul He 

cheers ! 
Do you think He ne'er reproves me? What a false friend 

He would be, 
If He never, never told me of the sins which He must see ! 
Do you think that I could love Him half so well, or as I ought, 
If He did not tell me plainly of each sinful deed and thought ? 
No ! He is very faithful, and that makes me trust Him more; 
For I know that He does love me, though He wounds me very 

sore. 

Ellen Lakshmi Goreh. 

* Prov. xxvii. 6. 



22 EVENING THOUGHTS. 



FIFTH DAY. 



from ©eatb lanto Xife. 

* Is passed from death unto life.' — John v. 24. 

TWO distinct states with nothing between. No 
broad space between the two where we may 
stand, leading to the one or to the other ; only a 
boundary line too fine to balance upon. Not many 
steps — not even two or three from one to the other, 
but one step from death unto life ; ] the foot lifted 
from the hollow crust over the volcanic fire, and set 
upon the Rock of salvation. 2 

How tremendously important to know whether 
this step is taken ; but how clear and simple the test : 
* He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him 
that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not 
come into condemnation ; but is passed from death 
unto life.' Are you trembling and down-hearted, 
wanting some very strong consolation for your very 
weak faith ? 3 Lay hold of this. 4 See how the rope 
is let down low enough to meet the hand which you 
can scarcely lift. 5 

'He that heareth My word.' Can you say you 

1 Acts xxvi. 18. 2Ps. xl. 2. * Heb. vi. 18. 

* 1 Tim. vi. 12. 5 Heb. xii. 12. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



23 



have not heard ? You have heard His word as His 
word, recognizing it as such, receiving it ' not as 
the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of 
God.' 1 It ' is come unto you,' because it ' is sent ' 
unto you. 2 The word of Jesus is heard by your 
innermost self, and you would not be hearing and 
recognizing it if you were still dead. A marble 
statue hears not. 

'And believeth on Him that sent Me.' 'But 
that is the very question,' you say ; * if I were sure 
I believed, I should know I had everlasting life.' 3 
Why should you know? Because He says so, and 
you could not but believe what He says. Then 
listen now to what He says : ' The father sent the 
Son to be the Saviour of the world.' 4 Do you not 
believe this? Did the Father not send the Son? 
Did He not so love the world ? 5 Let the very recoil 
from such plain English of unbelief show you the 
sin and folly of doubting any more. You do hear 
His word, you do believe on the Father who sent the 
Son to be your Saviour, 6 will you not now believe 
that Jesus means what He says in threefold assur- 
ance : ' Hatli everlasting life, and shall not come 
into condemnation ; but is passed from death unto 
life?' 7 

Not ' is passing,' but ' is passed ; ' a fact whose 
full blessedness cannot be fully realized here, while 
we only ' know in part ' 8 God's great gift of eternal 
life, 9 but not affected by varving degrees of realiza- 
tion. 10 

1 1 Thess. ii. 13. 2 Col. i. 6. 8 John vi. 47. 

4 i John iv. 14. 6 John iii. 16. 6 John xvi. 9. 

7 John v. 24. 8 i Cor. xiii. 12. 9 Rom. vi. 23. 
10 2 Tim. ii. 13. 



24 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

See your position, — or rather, take His word about 
it, — and give Him thanks — oh, give Him thanks — 
for having lifted you in your blindness and helpless- 
ness over that solemn boundary line when you 
could not even step over it. * Sing ... for the 
Lord hath done it;' 1 and when you begin to sing 
and to praise, 2 the Lord's own ambushments of 
promises will start up before your eyes {there all 
the time, only you did not see them), and the 
shadowy hosts of fears and doubts shall flee away, 
and you shall ' k?iow ' that you have passed from 
death unto life. 3 

From death — cold, dark, hopeless, useless, love- 
less ; the death in trespasses and sins ;* the death 
that lives (strange paradox) forever in the lake of 
fire 5 — unto life with its ever-increasing abundance ; 6 
life crowned with light and love ; life upon which 
only a shadow of death can ever pass, and that only 
the shadow of the portal of eternal glory ; 7 life in 
Jesus, life for Jesus, life with Jesus. 

This is your position now — made nigh instead of 
far off; 8 reconciled to God instead of ' enemies in 
your mind;' 9 found instead of lost; 10 fellow-citi- 
zens with the saints instead of strangers and foreign- 
ers ; n sometimes darkness, but now light in the 
Lord ; 12 passed from death unto life. And all be- 
cause Jesus passed from life unto death, even the 
death of the cross, for you ; 13 because it was the 
Father's will that He should come as the only re« 

1 Isa. xliv. 23. 2 2 Chron. xx. 22. 8 1 John iii. 14, 

4 Eph. ii. 1. 6 Rev. xx. 14. 6 John x. 10. 

' Ps. xxiii. 4. 8 Eph. ii. 13. 9 Col. i. 21. 

10 Luke xv. 32. U Eph. ii. 19. & Eph. v. 8. 

"Phil. ii. 8. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



25 



quired ( sacrifice for sin ; n and He, our Lord Jesus 
Christ, was ' content to do it.' 2 

There is life for a look at the Crucified One; 

There is life at this moment for thee ; 
Then look, sinner — look unto Him, and be saved— 

Unto Him who was nailed to the tree. 

Oh, doubt not thy welcome, since God has declared 

There remaineth no more to be done ; 
That once in the end of the world he appeared, 

And completed the work He begun. 

But take, with rejoicing, from Jesus at once, 

The life everlasting He gives : 
And know with assurance, thou never canst die, 

Since Jesus, thy righteousness, lives. 

A. M. Hull. 

IPs. xl.9, P. B. V. *Ps.xl. 10. 



2 6 EVENING THOUGHTS. 



SIXTH DAY. 



Justified 



'And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, 
from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.' — 
Acts xiii. 39. 

' A ND.' For justification does not come first. 
■**• The robe of righteousness 1 is not put on un- 
til the sinner is ' purged from his old sins.' 2 So 
this is God's order — first, ' Through this man is 
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins ; ' and 
then, ' By Him all that believed are justified.' 

But ' in Thy sight shall no man living be justi- 
fied.' 3 'For not the hearers of the law are just 
before God, but the doers of the law shall be justi- 
fied.'* But we have not ' obeyed the voice of the 
Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set 
before us.' 5 So 'that no man is justified by the 
law in the sight of God, it is evident ; ' 6 for 'by the 
deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in 
His sight.' 7 ' How then can man be justified with 
God?' 8 'The law was our schoolmaster to bring 

ilsa. lvi. 10. 2 2 Pet. i. 9. 8 Ps. cxliii. 2. 

4 Rom. ii. 13. 6 Dan. ix. 10. 6 Gal. iii. u. 

7 Rom. iii. 20. 8 Job xxv. 4. 



E VENING TIIO UGH TS. 



27 



us unto Christ, that we might be justified by 
faith.' 1 

This glorious justification by faith is sevenfold. 
We are justified, 1. ' By His grace ' 2 — the grace 
of God the Father, one of whose most wonderful 
titles is, * The Justifier of him which believeth in 
Jesus.' 3 2. l By His blood'* — that precious blood 
which has to do with every stage of our redemption 
and effectuated salvation ; from the writing of our 
names ' in the book of life of the Lamb slain from 
the foundation of the world,' 5 till the chorus of the 
'new song' 6 is full in heaven. 3. ' By the Right- 
eousness of One' (of the One), ' by the obedience 
of One;' 7 by which the free gift, the unspeakable 
gift of eternal life — nay, of Christ Himself to be our 
life 8 — 'came upon all men unto justification of 
life. 4. ' 9 By the resurrection of Jesus our Lord, 
who ' was raised again for our justification/ the 
grand token that our Substitute had indeed fulfilled 
all righteousness for us. 10 

' For God released our Surety 
To show the work was done.' 11 

5. 'By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant 
justify many ; for He shall bear their iniquities.' 13 
For true faith is founded upon the knowledge of 
Him, and 'this is life eternal.' 13 6. By faith ; just 
only believing God's word, and accepting God's 
way about it. 14 7. By works ; because these are the 

1 G.il. iii. 24. 2 Rom. iii. 24. 8 Rom. iii. 26. 

4 Rom. v. 9. 6 Rev. xiii. 8. 6 Rev. v. 9. 

7 Rom. v. 18, 19. 8 Col. iii. 4. s Rom. iv. 24, 25. 

10 Matt. iii. 15. U John xix. 30. ^ Isa. liii. u. 

W John xvii. 3. ** Rom. v. 1. 



2 3 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

necessary and inseparable evidence that faith is not 
mere fancy or talk. 1 We are ' justified by faith with- 
out the deeds of the law,' 2 the old dead galvanic 
struggle to do duties and keep outward obligations ; 
but not without works, which ' do spring out neces- 
sarily from a true and lively faith ; ' for ' faith with- 
out works is dead.'* 

1 Therefore, being justified by faith,' what then ? 
i. ' We have peace with God.' 4 2. ' We shall be 
saved from wrath through Him.' 5 3. We are made 
heirs of eternal life. 6 4. We shall be glorified by 
Him and with Him for ever. 7 

What about my own part and lot in the matter > 
Whom does God thus justify? and may I hope to be 
among them? He begins indeed at the lowest 
depth, so that none may be shut out ; for He ' would 
justify the heathen through faith,' 8 and He ' justi- 
fieth the ungodly.' 9 The publican who could only 
cry, ' God be merciful to me the sinner,' 1 ' was 
justified. I can come in here, at all events. 

But how shall I be actually and effectually justi- 
fied now? Let God speak and I will listen: 11 
' Even the righteousness of God which is by faith 
of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that be- 
lieve : 12 for there is no difference.' ' By Him all that 
believe are justified.' 13 ' I believe in Jesus Christ 
His only Son our Lord.' Do I? 'Lord, I believe.'^ 
Then His righteousness is upon me, and I am justi- 



1 Jas. ii. 24. 2 Rom. iii. 28 ; Gal. ii. 16 ; ib. v. 4. 

8 Jas. ii. 26. * Rom. v. 1. 5 Rom. v. 9. 

6 Titus iii. 7. 7 Rom. viii. 30 ; John xvii. 22. 

8 Heb. vii. 25; Gal. iu. 8. 9 Rom. iv. 5. 1° Luke xviii. 14. 

ll Ps. lxxxv. 8. i 2 Rom. iii. 22. i3 Acts xiii. 39. 

M Mark ix. 24. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 2 Q 

fied. ' Knowing that a man is not justified by the 
works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, 
even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we 
might be justified by the faith of Christ.' 1 And 
now, ' He is near that justifieth me.' 2 * Who shall 
lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? It is 
God that justifieth.' 3 

By the grace of God the Father, thou art freely justified, — * 
Through the great redemption purchased by the blood of Him 

who died, — 5 
By His life, for thee fulfilling God's command exceeding 

broad, — 6 
By His glorious resurrection, seal and signet of our God. 7 

Therefore, justified for ever by the faith which He hath 

given, 8 
Peace, and joy, and hope abounding smooth thy trial-path to 

heaven : 9 
Unto Him betrothed for ever, who thy life shall crown and 

bless, 10 
By His name thou shalt be called, Christ, * The Lord out 

Righteousness.' n 

1 Gal. ii. 16. « l sa . 1. 8. 3 Rom. viii. 33. 

4 Rom. iii. 24. 6 Rom. v. 9. e Rom. x. 4. 

1 Rom. iv. 25. 8 Rom. v. 1. 9 Rom. xv. 13. 

10 Hos. ii. 19. 11 Jer. xxxiii. 16. 



30 



E VEXING THOUGHTS. 



SEVENTH DAY. 



Zbe IRo^al Mine. 

* Thy love is better than wine.' — Cant. i. 2. 

WINE is the symbol of earthly joy; and who 
that has had but one sip of the love of 
Christ does not know this 'royal wine,' 1 this true 
'wine of the kingdom/ 2 to be better than the best 
joy that the world can give ! How much more, 
then, when deeper and fuller draughts are the 
daily portion, as we ' follow on to know' 3 the love 
1 which passeth knowledge ! ' 4 It is the privilege 
not of a favoured few, but of ' #// saints,' to com- 
prehend something of what is incomprehensible. 5 

i. The breadth, contrasted with the narrowness of 
earthly love and all its joy. Perhaps it is not so 
much by looking at His love to all the redeemed 
ones whom no man can number, 6 that we realize 
this, as by seeing that the love of Jesus was broad 
enough to reach and include ' even me.' 'Who 
loved me ; n is not that more incomprehensible than 
that He loved all the saints and angels ? 

1 Esther i. 7. 2 John xiv. 27. 3 Hos. vi. 3. 

4 Eph. iii. 19. 6 Eph. iii. 18. 6 Rev. vii. 9. 

7 Gen. xxvii. 38 ; Gal. ii. 20. 



E VEXING THO UGHTS. 



3* 



2. The length, contrasted with the passing 
shortness of the longest earthly love and joy. What 
is the length? 'Unto the end.' 1 And even that 
is not the full measure, for His immeasurable love 
is everlasting f and when inconceivable ages have 
passed, we shall be no nearer 'the end ' than now. 

3. The depth, contrasted with the shallowness 
which is always felt, however disguised, in the 
world's best. 3 Down to the very depth of our fall 
went that wonderful love of Christ, to the depth of 
our sin, to the depth of our need, to the depth of 
those caverns of our own strange inner being which 
we ourselves cannot fathom, and which only His 
love can fill. 

4. The height, contrasted with the lowness and 
littleness of all that is represented by the world's 
wine. This all ends in self, which is like a low 
vaulted roof, keeping down every possibility of 
rising ; and so the earthly joy can take but a bat-like 
flight, always checked, always limited, in dusk and 
darkness. But the love of Christ breaks through 
the vaulting, and leads us up into the free sky above, 
expanding to the very throne of Jehovah, and draw- 
ing us ' still upward '* to the infinite heights of 
glory. Is there any height beyond, l As the Father 
hath loved Me, so have I loved you ' f These 
measures (so to speak) of Christ's love are those of 
the unsearchable perfection of God Himself. ' It is 
as high as heaven, deeper than hell ' 6 (thank God 



1 1 John ii. 17; 1 Cor. vii. 29-31 ; John xiii. x. 2 Jer. xxxi. 3. 

3 Prov. xiv. 13 ; Eccles. ii. 10, 11 ; John iv. 13. * Ezek. xli. 7. 

6 John xv. 9. * Job xi. 7-9. 



%2 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



for that word deeper), l longer than the earth, and 
broader than the sea.' 

For whom is this love? Oh how glad we are 
that it is not for the worthy and the faithful, so 
that we must be shut out, but for His own, though 
the chief of sinners I 1 It is ' the love of the Lord 
toward the children of Israel, who look to other 
gods, and love flagons of wine.' Has it been so 
with us, that we have been looking away from Jesus 
to heart-idols and 'other lords,' 2 and loving some 
earthly ' flagons of wine' — other love, other pleas- 
ures, other joys, ' other things,' which are not Jesus 
Christ's? Then only think of ' the love of the Lord 
toward ' us ! Well may we say, ' Thy love to me 
was wonderful,' 3 and own it to be ' better than wine,' 
' above my chief joy.'* He proved His love to you 
and me to be ' strong as death ;' and when all God's 
waves and billows went over Him, the many waters 
could not quench it. 5 

In His love and in His pity He redeemed us ; in 
the same love He bears us and carries us all the day 
long. 6 He ' loveth at all times,' 7 and that includes 
this present moment ; now, while your eye is on 
this page, His eye of love is looking on you, and 
the folds of His banner of love are overshadowing 
you. 8 

Is there even a feeble pulse of love to Him ? He 
meets it with, ' I love them that love Me.' 9 ' I will 
love him, and will manifest Myself to him.' And 



1 1 Tim. i. 15. 2 Isa. xxvi. 13. 3 2 Sam. i. 26. 

*Ps. cxxxvii. 6. 6 Cant. viii. 6; Ps. xlii. 7; Cant. viii. 7. 

• Isa. lxiii. 9 ; ib. xlvi. 4. * Prov. xvii. 17. 8 Cant. ii. 4. 



*Prov. viii. 17. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



33 



so surely as the bride says, ' Thy love is better than 
wine,' so surely does the heavenly Bridegroom 
respond with incomprehensible condescension: 
' How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse ! how 
much better is thy love than wine.' 1 May this love 
of Christ constrain us to live unto Him * who loved 
me and gave Himself for me.' 2 

Christ, He is the fountain, 
The deep, sweet well of love ! 

The streams on earth I've tasted, 

More deep I'll drink above. 
There to an ocean-fulness 

His mercy doth expand, 
Where glory, glory dwelleth 

In Immanuel's land. 

Oh ! I am my Beloved's, 

And my Beloved is mine ! 
He brings a poor vile sinner 

Into « His house of wine.' 

1 stand upon His merits ; 

I know no safer stand, 
Not e'en where glory dwelleth 
In Immanuel's land. 

A. Is. Cousin. 

1 Cant. iv. xo. * GaL ii. 20. 



34 EVENING THOUGHTS. 



EIGHTH DAY. 



Gbe (Sift of peace. 

'My peace I give unto you.' — John xiv. 27. 

'"DEACE I leave with you' is much; 'My 
A peace I give unto you ' is more. The added 
word tells the fathomless marvel of the gift — ' My 
peace.' Not merely ' peace with God; n Christ 
has made that by the blood of His cross, and being 
justified by faith we have it through Him. 2 But af- 
ter we are thus reconciled, the enmity and the sep- 
aration being ended, Jesus has a gift for us from His 
own treasures ; and this is its special and wonderful 
value, that it is His very own} How we value a 
gift which was the giver's own possession ! what a 
special token of intimate friendship we feel it to be ! 
To others we give what we have made or purchased ; 
it is only to very near and dear ones that we give 
what has been our own personal enjoyment or use. 
And so Jesus gives us not only peace made and 
peace purchased, but a share in His very own peace, 
— divine, eternal, incomprehensible peace, — which 
dwells in His own heart as God, and which shone 

' Col i. 20. 2 R om . v. 1. 3 p s . bcviii. 18. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 35 

in splendour of calmness through His life as man. 
No wonder that it ' passeth all understanding.' 1 

But how ? Why does the sap flow from the vine 
to the branch ? Simply because the branch is 
joined to the vine. 2 Then the sap flows into it by 
the very law of its nature. So, being joined to our 
Lord Jesus by faith, that which is His becomes 
ours, and flows into us by the very law of our spirit- 
ual life. If there were no hindrance, it would in- 
deed flow as a river. 3 Then how earnestly we 
should seek to have every barrier removed to the 
inflowing of such a gift ! Let it be our prayer that 
He would clear the way for it, that He would take 
away all the unbelief, all the self, all the hidden 
cloggings of the channel. 

Then He will give a sevenfold blessing : 4 ' My 
peace,' ' My joy,' ' My love,' at once and always, 
now and for ever ; ' My grace ' and ' My strength ' 
for all the needs of our pilgrimage ; ' My rest ' and 
' My glory ' for all the grand sweet home- life of 
eternity with Him. 

Thy reign is perfect peace, 
Not mine, but Thine ; 

A stream that cannot cease, 
For its fountain is Thy heart. Oh, depth unknown ! 
Thou givest of Thine own, 

Pouring from Thine, and filling mine. 

1 Phil. iv. 7. 2 John xv. 5. 

*Isa. xlviii. 18. * John xv. 10, zt. 



36 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



NINTH DAY. 



Zbe abiding 3o\>. 

* These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might 
remain in you, and that your joy might be full.' — John xv. ii. 

WHO that has known anything of joy in the 
Lord but has asked, ' But will it last ? ' 
And why has the question been so often the very 
beginning of its not lasting? Because we have 
either asked it of ourselves or of others, and not of 
the Lord only. His own answers to this continually 
recurring question are so different from the cautious, 
chilling, saddening ones which His children so 
often give. They are absolute, full, reiterated. We 
little realize how unscriptural we are when we meet 
His good gift of joy to ourselves or to others with a 
doubtful, and therefore faithless, l If it lasts !' 

1 To the law and to the testimony,' 1 O happy 
Christian ! there you shall find true and abundant 
answer to your only shadow on the brightness of the 
joy. So long as you believe your Lord's word 
about it, so long it will last. 2 So soon as you ask 
of other counsellors, and believe their word instead, 

1 Isa. viii. 20. 2 Isa. vii. 9. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 37 

so soon it will fail. Jesus meets your difficulty ex- 
plicitly. He has provided against it by giving the 
very reason why He spoke the gracious words of 
His last discourse, ' That My joy might remain in 
you.' 1 Is not this exactly what we were afraid to 
hope, what seemed too good to be true, . that it 
c might remain'? And lest we should think that 
this abiding joy only meant some moderate measure 
of qualified joy, He adds, 'And that your joy may 
be full, 1 " 1 repeating in the next chapter, and inten- 
sifying it in the next. And lest we might think 
this was said with reference only to an exceptional 
case, He inspired His beloved disciple to echo the 
words in his general epistle : ' That your joy may 
be full,' and ' the anointing which ye have received 
of Him abideth in you.' 

Never in His word are we told anything contra- 
dicting or explaining away this precious and reiter- 
ated promise. All through we are brightly pointed 
not merely to hope of permanence, but to increase. 
' The meek shall increase (not merely shall keep up) 
their joy in the Lord.' 3 There are mingled 
promises and commands as to growth and increase 
in grace, knowledge, love, strength, and peace, and 
does not increase of these imply and ensure joy ? * 
Is joy to be the only fruit of the Spirit of which it 
may not be said that it ' sprang up and increased' '/* 

When it is suggested that we ' cannot ' (some even 
say, 'must not') 'expect to be always joyful,' re- 
member that ' it is written,' ' Rejoice in the Lord' 

1 John xv. 11. 2 John xvi. 24. 3 Isa. xxix. 19. 

*2 Pet. iii. 18; Col. i. 10; 1 Thess. iii. 12; iv. 10; Isa. xl. 29; ib. ix. 7; 
Gal. v. 22. & Mark iv. 8. 



38 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

(not 'sometimes,' but) 'alway. 11 'As sorrowful, 
yet alway rejoicing.' 2 When we are told that 'it 
would not even be good for us,' remember that ' it 
is written again,' 'The joy of the Lord is your 
strength.' Perhaps in that word ' of lies the whole 
secret of lasting joy ; for it is more than even ' joy 
in the Lord : ' it is His own joy flowing into the 
soul that is joined to Himself, which alone can ' re- 
main ' in us, not even our joy in Him. ' That they 
might have My joy fulfilled in themselves.' 3 Let 
us, then, seek not the stream, but the fountain ; not 
primarily the joy, but that real and living union 
with Jesus by which His joy becomes ours. 

Let us not, either for ourselves or others, ac- 
quiesce in disobedience to any of His command- 
ments. See how absolute they are ! ' Serve the Lord 
with gladness ; ' 4 ' Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous,' 5 
and many others. Turn to the terribly distinct 
condemnation, ' Because thou servedst not the Lord 
thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, 
. . . therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies, 
. . . and He shall put a yoke of iron on thy neck 
until He have destroyed thee.' 6 

No one need be cast down because they cannot 
yet tell of abiding joy, or because others cannot tell 
of it. Thank God, our experience is not the meas- 
ure of His promises ; they are all yea and Amen 
in Christ Jesus, 7 and our varying, short-falling ex- 
perience touches neither their faithfulness nor theii 
fulness. Forget the things which are behind, and 

• * Phil. iv. 4. 8 2 Cor. vi. 10. 3 John xvii. 13. 

4 Ps. c. 2. 6 Ps. xcvii. 12. *Deut. xxviii. 47, 48. 

1 2 Cor. i. 20. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 39 

press on to firmer grasp and fuller reception of 
Christ and His joy. 1 Then it shall be always 
'praise . . . more and more/ 'more grace/ 'grace 
for grace/ 2 'from strength to strength/ 3 — yes, even 
'from glory to glory.' 4 Then you shall indeed 
'' hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the 
hope firm unto the end.' 5 

May I earnestly ask every reader who is saying, 
' Will it last ? ' to seek ' out of the book of the Lord' 
for themselves ; taking a concordance, and looking 
out, under the words, Joy, Rejoice, Gladness, etc., 
the overwhelming reiterations of promises and com- 
mands which can leave them in no doubt as to 
God's answer. 

1 Phil. iii. 13. 2 Jas. iv. 6. 3P». lxxjciv. 7. 

*a Cor. iii. 18. &Heb. iii. 6. 



40 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



TENTH DAY. 



Zbc Sure Hfterwart), 

* Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, 
but grievous : nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable 
fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.' 
— Heb. xii. ii, 

THERE are some promises which we are apt to 
reserve for great occasions, and thus lose the 
continual comfort of them. Perhaps we read this 
one with a sigh, and say : ' How beautiful this is for 
those whom the Lord is really chastening ! I al- 
most think I should not mind that, if such a prom- 
ise might then be mine. But the things that try me 
are only little things that turn up every day to 
trouble and depress me.' Well, now, does the 
Lord specify what degree of trouble, or what kind 
of trouble, is great enough to make up a claim to 
the promise ? And if He does not, why should 
you ? He only defines it as ' not joyous, but griev- 
ous.' Perhaps there have been a dozen different 
things to-day which were ' not joyous, but grievous ' 
to you. And though you feel ashamed of feeling 
them so much, and hardly like to own to their hav- 
ing been so trying, and would not think of dignify- 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 47 

ing them as 'chastening,' yet, if they come under 
the Lord's definition, He not only knows all about 
them, but they were, every one of them, chasten- 
ings from His hand ; neither to be despised and 
called ' just nothing,' when all the while they did 
' grieve ' you ; nor to be wearied of ; because they 
are working out blessing to you and glory to Him, 
Every one of them has been an unrecognized token 
of His love and interest in you ; for ' whom the 
Lord loveth, He chasteneth.' 1 

Next, do not let us reserve this promise for chas- 
tenings in the aggregate. Notice the singular pro- 
noun, ' Nevertheless, afterward IT yieldeth,' not 
* they yield.' Does not this indicate that every 
separate chastening has its own special ' afterward ' t 
We think of trials as intended to do us good in the 
long-run, and in a general sort of way ; but the 
Lord says of each one, 'ft yieldeth.' Apply this to 
'the present.' The particular annoyance which 
befell you this morning ; the vexatious words which 
met your ear and ' grieved ' your spirit ; the dis* 
appointment which was His appointment for to- 
day ; the slight but hindering ailment ; the pres» 
ence of some one who is ' a grief of mind ' to you ; 
whatever this day seemeth not joyous, but grievous, 
is linked in 'the good pleasure of His goodness,' 8 
with a corresponding afterward of ' peaceable 
fruit ; ' the very seed from which, if you only do 
not choke it, this shall spring and ripen. 

If we set ourselves to watch the Lord's dealings- 
with us, we shall often be able to detect a most beau- 

J Heb. xii. 6. 2 3 Thess. i. 11. 



42 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



tiful correspondence and proportion between each 
individual 'chastening ' and its own resulting ' after- 
ward.' The habit of thus watching and expecting 
will be very comforting, and a great help to quiet 
trust when some new chastening is sent : for then 
we shall simply consider it as the herald and earn- 
est of a new ■ afterward.' 

Lastly, do not let us reserve this promise for some 
far future time. - The Lord did not say ' a long 
while afterward,' and do not let us gratuitously in- 
sert it. It rather implies that, as soon as the chas- 
tening is over, the peaceable fruit shall appear ' unto 
the glory and praise of God.' 1 So let us look out 
for the ' afterward ' as soon as the pressure is past. 
This immediate expectation will bring its own bless- 
ing if we can say, 'My expectation is from Him,' 2 
and not from any fruit-bearing qualities of our own ; 
for only ' from Me is thy fruit found.' 3 Fruit from 
Him will also be fruit unto Him. 

What shall Thine afterward be, O Lord ? 

I wonder, and wait to see 
(While to thy chastening hand I bow) 
What peaceable fruit may be ripening now, 

Ripening fast for Thee ! 



* Phil. i. xi. 8 Ps. lxii. 5- »Hoa. sir. 8. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. a* 



ELEVENTH DAY. 



Wo Iburt 

'Nothing shall by any means hurt you.' — Luke x. 19. 

IS not this one of those very strong promises which 
we are apt to think are worded a little too 
strongly, and off which we * take a great discount ' ? 
Now, instead of daring a ' Yea, hath God said ' P 1 
let us just take all the comfort and rest and gladness 
of it for ourselves. Let us believe every word, just 
as our beloved Master uttered it to the simple- 
hearted seventy who were so surprised to find His 
name so much more powerful than they expected. 

Nothing! If He said 'nothing,' have we any 
right to add, ' Yes, but except . . . ' ? Nothing 
can hurt those who are joined to Christ, ' for with 
me thou shalt be in safeguard,' 2 unless anything 
could be found which should separate us from Him. 
And ' who shall separate us?' 3 Earthly tribulations, 
even the most terrible, shall not do it, for ' in all 
these things we are more than conquerors through 
Him that loved us.' 4 Yet a farther reaching and, 



1 Gen. iii. 1. * 1 Sam. xxii. 23. 

8 Rom. viii. 35. * Rom. viii. 37. 



44 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

indeed, entirely exhaustive list is given, none of 
which, 'nor any other creature, shall be able to 
separate us.' Let us take everything that possibly 
could hurt us to that list, and see for ourselves if it 
is not included, and then rejoice in the conclusion, 
based and built upon Christ's bare word, but but- 
tressed and battlemented by this splendid utterance 
of His inspired apostle that it is indeed so — ' nothing 
shall by any means hurt you.' 

But He who knows our little faith never gives an 
isolated promise. He leaves us no chance of over- 
looking or misunderstanding any one, except by 
wilful neglect, because it is always confirmed in 
other parts of His word. So He has given the same 
strong consolation in other terms. ' The Lord 
shall preserve thee from all evil ' (do you believe 
that?'). ' There shall no evil happen to the just.' 1 
' In seven (troubles) there shall no evil touch thee.' 2 
Then see how He individualized it to Shadrach, 
Meshach, and Abednego, even in the burning fiery 
furnace, 'They have no hurt;' to Daniel among 
the lions, ' They have not hurt me ; ' to St. Paul 
among turbulent men with a care-nought governor, 
' No man shall set on thee to hurt thee.' 3 We are 
not likely to be more exposed to ' hurt ' than these, 
and we have the same God, ' who keepeth His 
promise for ever.' 4 He is the 'wall of fire round 
about 5 us; and what fortification so impenetrable — 
nay, so unapproachable ! And ' He that toucheth 
you toucheth the apple of His eye' 6 — the very least 
touch is felt by the Lord, who loves us and is 

1 Prov. xii. 21. 2 Job v. 19. 3 Acts xviii. 10. 

4 Ps. cxlvi. 6. 6 Zech. ii. 5. 6 Zech. ii. 8. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



45 



mighty to save ! Well may He say, 'And who is 
he that will harm you? ' 

1 Nothing shall by any means hurt you,' for ' no 
weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper ; '* 
man's curse shall be turned into God's blessing. 
Jehovah Himself, watering His vineyard every 
moment, says : ' Lest any hurt it, I will keep it 
night and day.' 2 Again, the promise, with a 
solemn condition, takes an even stronger form : 
1 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no 
evil thing.' 3 

Is not all this enough? It might well be, but 
His wonderful love has yet more to say — not only 
that nothing shall hurt us, but that all things work 
together for our good ; 4 not merely shall work, but 
actually are working. All things, if it means all 
things, must include exactly those very things, 
whatever they may be, which you and I are tempted 
to think will hurt us, or, at least, may hurt us. 
Now will we this evening trust our own ideas, or 
Christ's word ? One or other must be mistaken. 
Which is it? Christ, my own Master, my Lord 
and my God, has given a promise which meets 
every fear ; therefore, ' I will both lay me down in 
peace, and sleep : for Thou, Lord, only makest me 
to dwell in safety,' 5 and ' nothing shall by any means 
hurt ' me. 



1 Isa. liv. 17. * Isa. xxvii. 3. 3 Eccles. viii. 

4 Rom. viii. a8. * Ps. iv. 8. 



4 g EVE KING THOUGHTS. 



TWELFTH DAY. 



Zhe putting ffortb of tbe ©beep. 

' When He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before 
them.' — John x. 4. 

WHAT gives the Alpine climber confidence in 
wild, lonely, difficult passes or ascents, 
when he has ' not passed this way heretofore ' P 1 It 
is that his guide has been there before ; and also 
that in every present step over unknown and possi- 
bly treacherous ice or snow, his guide ' goeth be- 
fore.' 2 

It is to Christ's ' own sheep ' that this promise 
applies ; simply those who believe and hear His 
voice. It is when He putteth them forth that it 
comes true; not when they put themselves forth, or 
when they let a ' stranger ' 3 lure them forth, or such 
traitors as self-cowardice or impatience drive them 
forth. 

Sometimes it is a literal putting forth. We have 
been in a sheltered nook of the fold, and we are 
sent to live where it is windier and wilder. The 



1 Josh. iii. 4. 2lsa. xlv. 2. 8 John x. 26, 27 ; ib. x. 3. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. aj 

home nest is stirred up, 1 and we have to go (it may 
be only for a few days, it may be for years, it may 
be for the rest of our lives) into less congenial sur- 
roundings, to live with fresh people, or in a differ- 
ent position, or in a new neighborhood. We do 
not put ourselves forth, we would rather stay ; but 
it has to be. But Jesus ' goeth before. ' He prepares 
the earthly as well as the heavenly places for us. 
He will be there when we get to the new place. 
He went in the way before to search us out a place 
to pitch our tents in 2 (and perhaps we were forget- 
ting that they were tents and not palaces). 3 If we 
wilfully persisted in staying where we were when 
He said, ' Arise and depart, for this is not your 
rest,'* we should find that Presence was gone which 
only could cause us to rest. He is not sending us 
forth away from Him, but only putting us forth 
with His own gentle hand, saying, ' Rise up, My 
love, and come away,' 5 ' Come with Me.' 

Sometimes it is putting forth into service. We 
had such a nice little quiet shady corner in the 
vineyard, down among the tender grapes, with such 
easy little weedings and waterings to attend to. 
And then the Master comes and draws us out into 
the thick of the work, and puts us into a part of 
the field where we never should have thought of go- 
ing, and puts larger tools into our hands, that we 
may do more at a stroke. And we know we are 
not sufficient for these things, 6 and the very tools 
seem too heavy for us, and the glare too dazzling, 
and the vines too tall. Ah ! but would we really go 

!Deut. xxii. n. 2 Deut. i. 33. 3 Heb. xiii. 14. 

*Micah ii. jo. 5 Cant ii. 10 : ib. iv. 8. 6 2 Cor. ii. 16. 



4 8 



E VEXIXG 7 HO UGHTS. 



back ? He would not be in the old shady corner 
with us now ; for when He put us forth He went 
before us, and it is only by close following that we 
can abide with Him. Without Him we could do 
nothing if we perversely and fearfully ran back to 
our old work. With Him, ' through Christ which 
strengthened ' us, we ' can do all things ' in the 
new work. Not our power, but His presence will 
carry us through, 1 

Sometimes it is putting forth into the rough places 
of suffering, whether from temptation, pain, 'or any 
adversity.' Not one step here but Jesus has gone 
before us ; and He still goeth before us, often so 
very close before us, that even by the still waters 2 
we never seemed so near Him. ' He Himself hath 
suffered, being tempted.' 3 How strangely comfort- 
ing to remember that He has passed even that way 
before us ! ' The things which He suffered ' include 
and cover, and stretch wide on every side beyond, 
all possible ■ sufferings of this present time.' 4 It is 
in patient suffering, rather than in doing, that we 
are specially called 'to follow His steps.' 5 'The 
footsteps of Thine anointed have lain through re- 
proach,' and 'the reproach of Thy servants' is no 
light part of 'the fellowship of His sufferings.' 
How specially tender the Master's hand is when it 
is laid upon us to put us forth into any path of suf- 
fering ! How specially precious, then, to know that 
it is indeed His own doing ! 

Sooner or later, perhaps again and again, He puts 
forth His own sheep into a position of greater sep- 

1 Zech. iv. 6. 2 p s . xx iji. 2 . 3 Heb. ii. 18. 

4 Rom. viii. 18. 5 i Pet. ii. 21. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



49 



aration — forth from an outer into an inner circle, 
always nearer and nearer to the great Centre. Let 
us watch very sensitively for such leading. Every 
hesitation to yield to His gentle separation from the 
world results in heart separation from Him. When 
He thus goeth before, shall we risk being left be- 
hind ? 

He will put forth His own sheep at last into the 
path which none of them shall ever tread alone, 
because He trod it alone. ' Yea, though I walk 
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will 
fear no evil : for Thou art with me. n Our ' Joshua, 
he shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath said.' 2 
Jesus knows every single step of that valley ; and 
when His people enter it, they will surely find that 
* their King shall pass before them ; ' 3 and the Com- 
forter will say, ' He it is that doth go before thee.' 4 



THIRTEENTH DAY. 



Safe Stepping. 

'Thy foot shall not stumble.' — Prov. Hi. 23, 

MANY a Christian says : ' I shall be kept from 
falling at last ; but, of course, I shall stum- 
ble continually by the way.' But * have ye not read 

*Ps. xxiii. 4. 2 Deut. xxxi. 3. 

3 Micah ii. 13. * Deut. xxxi. 8. 



5o 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



this Scripture,' ' Thy foot shall not stumble ' P 1 And 
if we have only once read it, ought not the ' of 
course ' to be put over on the other side ? for ' hath 
He spoken, and shall He not make it good ? '* 
'And the Scripture cannot be broken.' 3 

' But as a matter of fact we do stumble, and 
though he riseth up again, yet even the just man 
falleth seven times.' 4 Of course we do; and this 
is entirely accounted for by the other ' of course.' 
God gives us a promise, and, instead of humbly 
saying, * Be it unto me according to Thy word,' 5 
we either altogether overlook or deliberately refuse 
to believe it ; and then, ' of course,' we get no ful- 
filment of it. The measure of the promise is God's 
faithfulness; the measure of its realization is our 
faith. Perhaps we have not even cried, ' Help Thou 
mine unbelief as to this promise, much less said, 
'Lord, I believe.' 6 

It does not stand alone; it is reiterated and varied. 
He knew our constant, momentary need of it. He 
knew that without it we must stumble, and fall too ; 
that we have not the least power to take one step with- 
out a stumble — or, rather, that we have no power to 
take one single onward step at all. And He knew 
that Satan's surest device to make us stumble would 
be to make us believe that 'it can't be helped.' 
We have thought that, if we have not said it. 

But 'what saith the Scripture?' 7 'When thou 
runnest ' (the likeliest pace for a slip), ' thou shalt 
not stumble.' 8 'He will not suffer thy foot to be 

1 Mark xii. 10. 2 Num. xxiii. 19. 3 John x. 35. 

* Prov. xxiv. 16. 6 Luke i. 38. «Mark ix. 24. 

7 Rom. iv. 3. 8 Prov. iv. 12. 



EVENING TI10UGH1 S. 5 x 

moved.' 1 'He will keep the feet of His saints.' 2 
'He led them . . . that they should not stumble.' 3 
Can we say, ' Yea, hath God said ? '* to all this ? 
Leave that to Satan ; it is no comment for God's 
children to make upon His precious promises. If 
we do not use the power of faith, we find the neu- 
tralizing power of unbelief. 

' But how can I keep from stumbling ? ' You 
cannot keep from stumbling at all ; but He is * able 
to keep you from falling,' 5 which in the Greek is 
strongly and distinctly 'without stumbling.* The 
least confidence in, or expectation from, yourself 
not only leads to inevitable stumbling, but is itself 
a grievous fall. But again we are met with the very- 
promise we need to escape this snare : ' For the 
Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy 
foot from being taken.' 6 

' Still, how shall I be kept ? ' Jesus Himself has 
answered : ' If any man walk in the day, he stum- 
bleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.' 7 
'Walk in the light,' 'looking unto Jesus,' and so 
shall we be ' kept by the power of God through 
faith.' 

We tell a little child to look where it steps and 
pick its way ; but Christ's little children are to do 
just the opposite : they are to look away to Him. 
' Let thine eyes look,' not down, but ' right on, and 
let thine eyelids look straight before thee.' 8 Why ? 
Because ' He it is that doth go before thee,' 9 and it 

1 Ps. cxxi. 3. 2 1 Sam. ii. 9. 3 Isa. lxiii. 13. 

4 Gen. iii. 1. &Jude 24. 6 Prov. iii. 26. 

'John xi. 9. 8 Prov. iv. 25. e Deut. xxxi. 8. 



r 2 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

is on Him, the Light of the world, that the gaze 
must be fixed. 

1 Having therefore these promises, dearly be- 
loved,' 1 let us use them. Let us turn them into 
prayers of faith. ' Hold up my goings in Thy 
paths, that my footsteps slip not ' 2 (did David add 
the whisper, ' But nevertheless, of course, they will 
slip ' ?). ' Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.' 
' When I said, My foot slippeth ; Thy mercy, O 
Lord, held vat up ' (not 'picked me up 'j. 3 

Then comes the New Testament echo : ' Yea, he 
shall be holden up : for God is able to make him 
stand.' 4 But take ' all the counsel of God; ' 5 for 
this, too, is needed : 'And thou standest by faith. 
Be not high-minded, but fear.' 

Now if these promises are worth the paper they 
are written on, ought we not to believe and accept 
and give thanks for them, and go on our way re- 
joicing, claiming His promise not once for all, not 
for to-morrow, but always for the next step of the 
way ? ' Thy foot shall not stumble ! ' Jesus is now 
' upholding all things by the word of His power ; ' 6 
shall our unbelief make us the exception ? Shall 
we not rather say, ' Uphold me, according to Thy 
word'? 7 

Look away to Jesus, 

Look away from all ! 
Then we shall not stumble, 

Then we need not fall. 



*2 Cor. vii. i. 2 Ps. xvii. 5. 3 Ps. cxix. 117; ib. xciv. 18. 

< Rom. xiv. 4. 6 Acts xx. 27. 6 Heb. i. 3. 

*Ps. cxix. 116. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 53 

FOURTEENTH DAY. 



Zhine. 

* I am Thine.' — Ps. cxix. 94. 

THIS is a wonderful stone for the sling of faith. 
It will slay any Goliath of temptation, if we 
only sling it out boldly and determinately at him. 

When self tempts us (and we know how often 
that is), let it be met with < not your own,' 1 and 
then look straight away to Jesus with ' I am Thine. ' 

If the world tries some lure, old or new, remem- 
ber the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said : 2 * If 
ye were of the world, the world would love his 
own ; 3 . . . but I have chosen you out of the 
world ; '* and lest the world should claim us as ' his 
own,' look away to Jesus, and say, ' I am Thine' 

Is it sin, subtle and strong and secret, that claims 
our obedience ? Acknowledge that ' ye were the 
servants of sin ; ' but now, * being made free from 
sin, ye became the servants of righteousness,' 5 and 
conquer with the faith-shout, ' I am Thine ! ' 

Is it a terrible hand-to-hand fight with Satan him- 
self, making a desperate effort to reassert his old 
power? Tell the prince of this world that he hath. 
nothing in Jesus, 6 and that you are ' in Him that is 



1 1 Cor. vi. 19. 2 Acts xx. 35. 3 John xv. 19. 

4Johnxvii. 16. 6R m. vi. 17, 18. 6j hnxiv. 30. 



54 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



true/ 1 a member of His body, His very own ; and 
see if he is not forced to flee at the sound of your 
confident 'I am Thine ! ' 

But after all, ' I am Thine ' is only an echo, vary- 
ing in clearness according to faith's atmosphere and 
our nearness to the original voice. Yes, it is only 
the echo of ' Thou art Mine,' 2 falling in its mighty 
music on the responsive, because Spirit-prepared, 
heart. This note of heavenly music never origi- 
nated with any earthly rock. It is only when God 
sends forth the Spirit of His Son in our hearts 
that we cry, 'Abba, Father.' 3 It was when the 
anointed but not yet openly crowned king had gone 
out to meet Amasai, and the Spirit came upon him, 
that he said, ' Thine are we, David.' Therefore do 
not overlook the Voice, in the gladness of the echo. 
Listen, and you will hear it falling from the myste- 
rious heights of high-priestly intercession : ' They 
are Thine. And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are 
Mine.' 4 

This is no vague and general belonging to Christ, 
but full of specific realities of relationship. ' I am 
Thine' means, ' Truly I am Thy servant.' 5 lam 
one of Thy 'dear children.' 6 I am Thy chosen 
soldier. 7 I am Thy ransomed one. 8 I am Thy 
' own sheep.' I am Thy witness. I am Thy friend. 9 
And all these are but amens to His own conde- 
scending declarations. He says we are all these, 
and we have only to say, 'Yes, Lord, so I am.' 
Why should we ever contradict Him ? 

1 iJohnv. 20. 2 Isa. xliii. 1. 3 Rom. viii. 15. 

4 John xvii. 9, 10. 6 Ps. cxvi. 16. 6 Eph. v. 1. 

7 2 Tim. ii. 4. 8 l sa . xxxv. 10. 9 John x. 4. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



55 



In deeper humility and stronger faith let us listen 
further to the voice of our Beloved, as He breathes 
names of incomprehensible condescension and love. 
Shall we contradict Him here, in the tenderest out- 
flow of His divine affection, and say, * Not so, 
Lord ' ? Shall we not rather adoringly listen, and 
let Him say even to us in our depths of utter un- 
worthiness, ' My sister, My spouse,' ' My love, My 
dove, My undefiled,' answering only with a won- 
dering, yet unquestioning, ' I am Thine,' ' I am all 
that Thou choosest to say that I am ' ? 

The echo may vary and falter (though it is nothing 
short of atrocious ingratitude and unbelief when it 
does), but the Voice never varies or falters. He 
does not say, ' Thou art Mine ' to-day, and reverse 
or weaken it to-morrow. We are ' a people unto 
Thee for everS and why grieve His love by doubt- 
ing His word, and giving way to a very fidget of 
faithlessness ? Love that is everlasting cannot be 
ephemeral ; it is everlasting, and what can we say 
more ? 

The more we by faith and experience realize that 
we are His own in life and death, the more willing 
we shall be that He should do what He will with 
His own, and the more sure we shall be that He will 
do the very best with it, and make the very most of 
it. May we increasingly find the strength and rest 
of this our God-given claim upon God. ' I am 
Thine, save me ! n And * He will save, He will 
rejoice over thee with joy ; He will rest in His love." 

1 Ps. cxix. 94. 2 Zeph. iii. 17. 



5 6 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

' Not your own ! ' but His ye are, 

Who hath paid a price untold 
For your life, exceeding far 

All earth's store of gems and gold. 
With the precious blood of Christ, 
Ransom-treasure all unpriced, 
Full redemption is procured, 
Full salvation is assured. 

' Not your own ! ' but His by right, 

His peculiar treasure now, 
Fair and precious in His sight, 

Purchased jewels for His brow. 
He will keep what thus He sought, 
Safely guard the dearly bought, 
Cherish that which He did choose, 
Always love and never lose. 



FIFTEENTH DAY. 



IHnto ttbee for i£\>er. 

1 What one nation in the earth is like Thy people, even like 
Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to Himself, 
and to make Him a name, and to do for you great things and 
terrible, for Thy land, before Thy people, which Thou re- 
deemedst to Thee from Egypt, from the nations and their 
gods? For Thou hast confirmed to Thyself Thy people 
Israel to be a people unto Thee for ever : and Thou, Lord, 
art become their God.' — 2 Sam. vii. 23, 24. 

ONE thought, containing three thoughts, seems 
to pervade this epitome of the history of God's 
people. The one thought is ' Unto Thee ! ' The 



EVENING THOUGHTS. ry 

three thoughts contained in it are — Redeemed, 
Separated, Confirmed unto Thee. 

Let us take them in order, i. God 'went to 
redeem ' His people. It was no easy sitting still, 
no costless fiat : ' Thou wentest forth for the salva- 
tion of Thy people, even for salvation with Thine 
anointed.' 1 These 'goings forth have been from 
of old, from the days of eternity,' 2 and we have 
seen by faith these 'goings of my God, my King.' 5 

It was not only to purchase them out of bondage 
and death, as one might buy a captive thrush on a 
winter evening, and let it loose into the hungry 
cold, and think no more about it; it was to re- 
deem them unto Himself, to be His own portion 
and inheritance and treasure and delight, to be a 
* people near unto Him,' to be the objects on which 
all His divine love might be poured out, to be the 
very opportunity of His joy. 

His glory and our good were inseparably joined 
in it. He did it 'to make Him a name; ' and we 
may reverently say, that even the very Name which 
is above every name* could not have been the crown 
of the exaltation of the Son of God but for this. 

He also did it because He would ' do for you great 
things and terrible,' — great things in mercy, ' terri- 
ble things in righteousness,' — bringing all His sub- 
limely balanced attributes to bear on His great 
work ' for you.'' l Before His people,' that we might 
see, and know, and believe, and praise. 

2. This redemption to Himself necessarily in- 
volved separation ' from Egypt, from the nations 

1 Hab. iii. 13. 2Micah v. 2, margin. 

3 Ps. lxviii. 24, * Phil. ii. 9. 



5' 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



and their gods.' We cannot have the 'to 7 without 
the ' from,' any more than we could go to the equa- 
tor and not come away from the arctic regions. 
And the test and proof of the * to Thee ' lies in the 
'from Egypt.' But what do we want with Egypt? 
what is there to attract us to the house of bondage and 
its old taskmasters ? Did we not have enough of 
them ? and shall we not gratefully accept redemp- 
tion 'from the nations,' ' out of them, from the 
tyranny of ' the customs of the people,' ' from our 
vain conversation,' 1 and say henceforth, ' Thy peo- 
ple shall be my people' ? 2 ' What have /to do any 
more with idols,' 3 "when God Himself has redeemed 
me ' from their gods ' ? Yes, has redeemed me, for 
He says so. ' Sing, O ye heavens ; for the Lord 
hath done it ! ' He ' gave Himself for us, that He 
might redeem us from all iniquity.' 4 

3. How magnificently God seals all His transac- 
tions ! So He has not only redeemed and sepa- 
rated us unto Himself, but ' Thou hast confirmed to 
Thyself Thy people Israel.' He, not we. His 
hands laid the foundation, and His hands shall also 
finish it. He stablisheth us in Christ, and He 
' hath also sealed us.' He ' shall also confirm you 
to the end ; ' 5 your life shall be one great Confirma- 
tion Day of continual defending and strengthening 
and blessing ; He avouching you this day and every 
day to be His peculiar people, ' as He hath prom- 
ised,' and establishing you an holy people unto 
Himself, and you avouching the Lord to be your 
God and to walk in His ways. 

1 1 Pet. i. 18. 2 R„th i. 16. 3 Hos. xiv. 8. 

* Titus ii. 14. 5 1 Cor. i. 8. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. ^ 

Not ' this day, only 'for we are confirmed to Him 
* to be a people unto Thee for ever.' 'Thine for 
ever ! ' ' For I know that whatsoever God doeth, 
it shall be for ever ; n so, having done this, it must 
be ' for ever ! ' Fling this at the enemy when he 
tempts you to doubt your complete and eternal 
redemption — ' Unto Thee forever ! ' when he tempts 
you to regret or tamper with your separation — 
1 Unto Thee for ever ! ' when he tempts you to quiver 
about your confirmation e to the end ' — ' Unto Thee 
for ever / ' 

For ' the Lord is faithful.' 2 ' And now, O Lord 
God, the word that Thou hast spoken . . . estab- 
lish it for ever, and do as Thou hast said.' 3 

In full and glad surrender, 

I give myself to Thee, 
Thine utterly and only, 

And evermore to be. 
O Son of God, who lovest me, 

I will be Thine alone, 
And all I have and all I am 

Shall henceforth be Thine own. 
■i ^ 

lEccles. iii. 14. 2 2 Thcss. iii. 3. 3 2 Sam. vii. 25. 



6o EVENING THOUGHTS. 

SIXTEENTH DAY. 



Captive ^bougbts, 

' Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of 
Christ.' — 2 Cor. x. 5. 

ARE there any tyrants more harassing than our 
own thoughts? Control of deeds and words 
seems a small thing in comparison ; but have we not 
been apt to fancy that we really can't help our 
thoughts? Instead of our dominating them, they 
have dominated us ; and we have not expected, nor 
even thought it possible, to be set free from the 
manifold tyranny of vain thoughts, and still less of 
wandering thoughts. Yet, all the time, here has 
been God's word about this hopeless, helpless mat- 
ter, only where has been our faith? 

It is very strong language that the inspiring Spirit 
uses here — not ' thoughts ' in general, but definitely, 
and with no room for distressing exceptions, ' every 
thought.' 1 Must it not be glorious rest to have 
every thought of day and night brought into sweet, 
quiet, complete captivity to Jesus, entirely ' obedient 
to the faith,' 2 to His holy and loving influence, to 
His beautiful and perfect law ? We should not have 
dared to hope or dream of such a rest unto our souls ; 
we should not have guessed it included in that prom- 

IPs. xciv. 19. 2 Acts vi. 7. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 6t 

ise to those who take the yoke of Christ upon 
them \ and if we could find one text stating that it 
was not any part of God's infinitely gracious pur- 
poses for us, we should only say, ' Of course, for it 
stands to reason it could not be ! ' 

To reason, perhaps, but not to faith ; for words 
cannot be plainer than these in which St. Paul sets 
forth this marvellous privilege not of himself person- 
ally, but of all God's children, if they are only 
willing and simply believing in the matter. For 
while ' the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus' 1 is 
the measure of the fulness of His promises, ' accord- 
ing to your faith ' 2 is the appointed measure of their 
reception and benefit by ourselves. ' Lord, increase 
our faith.' 3 

But there is an order in their effectual working, 
and we must not begin at the wrong end. Before 
this triumph-leading of every thought can take place, 
there is the ' casting down imaginations,' 4 or, as in 
the more correct margin, ' reasonings.' As long as 
we are reasoning about a promise, we never know 
its reality. It is not God's way. It is the humble 
who hear thereof and are glad. 5 Have we not found 
it so? Did we ever receive the powerful fulfilment 
of any promise so long as we argued and reasoned, 
whether with our own hearts or with others, and 
said, ' How can these things be ? ' 6 Has it not al- 
ways been, that we had to lay down our arms and 
accept God's thought and God's way instead of our 
own ideas, and be willing that He should ' speak the 
word only,' and believe it as little children believe 

1 Phil. iv. 19. 2 Matt. ix. 29. 3 Luke xvii. 5. 

4 2 Cor. x. 5. B Ps. xxxiv. 2. 6 John iii. 9. 



62 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

our promises ? Then, never till then, the promise 
and the privilege became ours not only in potential- 
ity but in actuality. Now, how is it that we do not 
yet understand, and apply the same principle to 
every promise or privilege which as yet we see only 
afar off? It is the old way and the only way: 
'Who through faith . . . obtain promises.' 1 

It is a solemn thought that the alternative of ' the 
obedience of Christ ;2 is disobedience. Thoughts 
that are not brought into the one are in the other ; 
for ' the thought of foolishness is sin,' 3 nothing less 
or lighter; and when the Holy Spirit ' declareth 
unto man what is his thought,' unsuspected sin and 
unrecognized guilt come terribly to light. But ' how 
long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?' 4 
The Conqueror, the always triumphing Saviour, 
stands at the door and knocks ; shall we not ' open 
unto Him immediately,' and now cast down the 
reasonings which hinder His present triumph, and 
yield up to Him ' who alone can order them ' the 
unruly will and affections, and deliver into His vic- 
torious hands the unmanageable thought-garrison 
(reserving no private slaves, who would quickly 
again become our masters), and then let Him dwell 
in our hearts by faith as absolute Captain of our 
salvation ? 5 Then He will garrison our hearts with 
the peace of God which passeth all understanding. 6 

Let every thought 

Be captive brought, 

Lord Jesus Christ, to Thine own sweet obedience ; 

1 Heb. xi. 33. 2 2 Cor. x. 6. 3 Prov. xxiv. 9. 

* Jer. iy. 17. 6 Heb. ii. 10. 6 Phil. iv. 7. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 

That I may know, 
In ebbless flow, 
The perfect peace of full and pure allegiance. 



63 



SEVENTEENTH DAY. 



Zhe flmagination of tbe Gbouabta 
of tbe Ibeart. 

' Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of 
the heart of Thy people, and prepare (margin, stablish) their 
heart unto Thee.' — 1 Chron. xxix. 18. 

THE words are probably more familiar to us in 
another connection : ' And God saw . . . 
that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart 
was only evil continually.' 1 There is Satan's work 
through the fall ; now let us look at God's work 
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 2 

What was to be kept for ever in the imagination 
of the thoughts of the heart? Something that God 
had put there ; for you cannot keep a thing in any 
place till it is first put there. The people had re- 
sponded to the appeal of their king, ' Who then is 
willing to consecrate his service this day unto the 
Lord?' 3 As the expression of this service, they 
had offered willingly and rejoicingly to the Lord. 
Wnat they had offered was all His own : 'Of thine 

1 Gen. vi. 5. a Rom. iiu 24. * x Chron. xxix. 5. 



6 4 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



own have we given Thee/ 1 And David acknowl- 
edges that it was all of Him that they were enabled 
(margin, obtained strength) * to offer so willingly 
after this sort.' Was all this consecration and joy 
to be a thing of a day ? Nay ! in his grand inspired 
prayer, David, foreshadowing the Royal Intercessor, 
by whom alone we ' offer up spiritual sacrifices,' 
prays, 'O Lord God, keep this for ever in the im- 
agination of the thoughts of the heart of Thy peo- 
ple.' 

Now, does not this precisely meet the fear, the 
desire, and the need of our souls? I may have 
yielded myself unto God to-day, I may have sin- 
cerely presented myself a living sacrifice to Him 2 
to-day, but what about to-morrow ? My heart is so 
treacherous, I dare not trust it, I cannot even know 
it. Who that has consecrated himself to the Lord 
has not had some such thought ! In too many in- 
stances, the thought is brooded over till it grows into 
doubt of His power; and then, of course, we begin 
to sink, for only by faith do we stand or walk in the 
bright path of consecration. Doubt indulged soon 
becomes doubt realized. 

He who by His free grace and mighty power put 
it into our hearts must be equally willing and able 
to keep it there. If He can keep it there for one 
day, — nay, for one hour, — He can keep it — how 
long? Two days? A whole year? What saith 
the Scripture? ' For Ever.' Yes, but He only ; not 
ourselves. We cannot ' keep ' it one minute. The 
more totally we distrust our own ability to put or to 

1 1 Chron. xxix. 14. 2 Rom. vi. 13 ; ib. xii. 1. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 65 

keep any right thing whatever in our minds, the 
more we shall see that we may and must totally 
trust His power. 

There is real comfort in knowing that every im- 
agination of the thoughts of the natural heart is 
only evil continually, because this shows how really 
He is working in us when we find Him putting and 
keeping holy things in our minds. We may be 
quite sure no Godward thought comes natural to us ; 
but His new covenant is : ' I will put My laws into 
their mind, and write them in their hearts.' 1 

The words are very remarkable and far-reaching. 
We feel that they go to the very depths, that it is 
our whole mental being which is to be thus pervaded 
with the incense of consecration ; not that it is to 
be kept only in some inner recess of the heart, and 
not equally so in the mental consciousness. ' Keep 
this for ever in the imagination,' so that the mind 
(margin, imagination) may be stayed on Thee, and 
the keeping in perfect peace may result. 2 Just the 
very thing that seems most curbless, the mental 
lightning that seems too quick for us ! The flash- 
ing wings that used to bear us too swiftly whither 
we would not, shall be folded over the golden pur- 
pose of consecration. ' In the imagination of the 
thoughts' ' Bringing into captivity every thought 
to the obedience of Christ.' And then the peace 
of God enters in to garrison the heart and thoughts 
(for it is the same word, here translated ' mind '). 
' In the imagination of the thoughts of the heart, 1 
the very central self, the inner citadel of the soul. 

1 Heb. viii. 8-10. 2 i sa . xxyi. 3. 



66 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

That shall be ' established with grace,' stablished 
unblameable in holiness, ' fixed ' so that it shall sing 
and give praise ; for Thou, Lord, ' hast heard the 
desire of the humble : Thou wilt establish their 
heart.' 

We rejoice in His omniscience ; for, because'the 
Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the 
imaginations of the thoughts,' 1 we are fully per- 
suaded that what .He has promised He is able also 
to perform. 2 

' Only for Jesus ! ' Lord, keep it for ever 
Sealed on the heart and engraved on the life ; 

Pulse of all gladness, and nerve of endeavour, 
Secret of rest, and the strength of our strife. 



EIGHTEENTH DAY. 



IXbe Everlasting Service. 

' And he shall serve him for ever.' — Ex. xxi. 6. 

A PROMISE only differenced from a threat by 
one thing, love ! But that makes all the 
difference. 

To those who are still ' enemies in their minds,' 3 
the prospect of serving for ever would be anything 
but pleasant. But when the enmity is slain by the 

1 x Chron xxviii. 9. 2 Rom. ir. 21. 8 Col. i. 21. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



6 7 



cross of Christ, 1 and all things are become new, 2 
and the love of Christ constraineth, 3 then it is 
among the brightest of our many bright anticipa- 
tions, and everlasting joy and everlasting service 
become almost synonymous. 

Rest is sweet, but service (in proportion to our 
love) is sweeter still. Those who have served much 
here cannot but anticipate the fuller and more per- 
fect service above. Those who have to do little 
more than ' stand and wait ' here, will perhaps revel 
even more than others in the new experience of ac- 
tive service, coming at once, as it were, into its full 
delight. 

The Hebrew servant had trial of his master's ser- 
vice for six years, and in the seventh he might go 
out free if he would. But then, ' if the servant shall 
plainly say ' (plainly, avowedly, no mistake about 
it), ' I love my master, . . . I will not go out free,' 
then, publicly and legally, he was sealed to his ser- 
vice ' for ever.' It all depended on the love. He 
would say, ' I will not go away from thee ; 4 because 
he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well 
with thee.' 

How this meets our case, dear fellow-servants ! 
We do not want to 'go away from ' Jesus, because 
we love Him ; and we love His house too, — not only, 
• the house of God ' with which so much of our ser- 
vice is connected, but ' His own house,' the ' spirit- 
ual house,' 'the blessed company of all faithful 
people. ' 

And are we not ' well ' with Him ? Where else 

1 Eph. ii. 16. 2 2 Cor. v. 17. 

8 2 Cor. v. 14. 4 Deut. xv. 16. 



68 EVE XIX G THOUGHTS. 

so well ? where else anything but ill ? Has He not 
dealt well with His servants? 1 What a chorus it 
would be if we all spoke out, and said, ' I love my 
Master, and it hath been well for me with Him ' ! 
Why don't we speak out, and let people know what 
a Master He is, and what a happy service His is ? 
Who is to speak out, if we have not a word to say 
about it ! Let us stand up for Jesus and His service, 
every one of us ! 

Perhaps, when we do speak out, we shall realize 
the joy of this promise as never before. It was not 
till the servant had owned his love, and given up 
'the rest of his time in the flesh,' and had his ear 
bored, that the word was spoken, ' He shall serve 
him for ever; ,2 and it is only the loving and con- 
secrated heart that leaps up for joy at the heavenly 
prospect : 'And His servants shall serve Him.' 3 

Think about it a little. What will it be to be 
able at last to express not only all the love we now 
feel, but all the perfected love of infinitely enlarged 
capability of loving in the equally perfected service 
of equally enlarged capability of serving ? — able to 
show Jesus a love which would burst our hearts if 
poured into them now ! Able to put all the new 
rapture of praise into living action for Him ! Able 
to go on serving Him day and night, 4 without any 
weariness in it, and never a hateful shadow of 
weariness of it ; without any interruptions ; without 
any mistakes at all ; without any thinking how much 
better some one else could have done it, or how 
much better we ought to have done it ; above all, 

1 Ps. cxix. 65. 2 Ex. xxi. 6. 

8 Rev. xxii. 3. * Rev. vii. 15. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



6 9 



without the least mixture of sin in motive or deed — 
pure, perfect service of Him whom we love and see 
face to face ! What can be more joyful ? 

We are not told much about it, we could not 
understand it now ; the secrets of this wonderful 
service will only be told when we are brought to His 
house above, and see what are the heavenly ' good 
works which God hath before ordained ' (margin, 
prepared) for us. 

How full of surprises the new service will be ! — 
new powers, new and entirely congenial fellow- 
workers, new spheres, new ministries ; only two 
things not new, if our earthly service has been true, 
— no new power, and no new end and aim, but the 
same, even His power and His glory ! Then shall 
come the full accomplishment of the Messianic 
prophecy : ' A seed shall serve Him ; n and still we 
shall say (only I think we shall sing it), 'Thine is 
the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. 
Amen.' 2 'Whose I am and whom I serve' for 



even 



/3 



My Lord hath met my longing 

With word of golden tone, 
That I shall serve for ever 

Himself, Himself alone. 
' Shall serve him,' — and ' for ever! ' 

Oh hope most sure, most fair ! 
The perfect love outpouring, 

In perfect service there ! 



1 Ps. xxii. 30. 2 Matt. vi. 13. 3 Acts xxyii. 83* 

17 



pjq EVENING THOUGHTS. 



NINETEENTH DAY. 



fIDoet J61c66e& for Ever, 

' Thou hast made him most blessed for ever, Thou hast 
made him exceeding glad with Thy countenance.' — Ps, xxi. 6. 

PROBABLY every one who reads this has at least 
one of those golden links to heaven which 
God's own hand has forged from our earthly treas- 
ures. It may be that the very nearest and dearest 
that had been given are now taken aw r ay. And how 
often ' no relation, only a dear friend ' is an ' only ' 
of heart-crushing emphasis ! 

Human comfort goes for very little in this; but 
let us lay our hearts open to the comfort wherewith 
we are comforted of God l Himself about it. 

There is not much directly to ourselves; He 
knew that the truest and sweetest comfort would 
come by looking not at our loss, but at their gain. 

Whatever this gain is, it is all His own actual and 
immediate doing. 'Thou hast made him' (read 
here the name of the very one for whom we are 
mourning) ' most blessed.' 

' Most ! ' How shall we reach that thought ? 
Make a shining stairway of every bright beatitude 
in the Bible, blessed upon blessed, within and also 
far beyond our own experience. And when we 

1 2 Cor. i, 4. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



71 



have built them up till they reach unto heaven, still 
this ' most blessed ' is beyond, out of our sight, in 
the unapproachable glory of God Himself. It will 
always be ' most,' for it is ' for ever ' — everlasting 
light without a shadow, everlasting songs without a 
minor. 

No more death, neither sorrow nor crying, 
neither shall there be any more pain. 1 'And the 
inhabitant shall not say, I am sick.' 2 No more sun- 
sets, no more days of mourning. The troubling of 
the wicked and the voice of the oppressor ceased 
for ever. 3 No more memory of troubles ; no more 
tears. No more anything that defileth ! All this 
only the negative side of our dear one's present 
blessedness. 

Then, the rest for the weary one, the keeping of 
the sabbath that remaineth, and yet the service free 
and perfect and perpetual. The crowns of life, of 
righteousness, and of glory. The great reward in 
heaven, full of love-surprise to the consciously un- 
profitable servant. The far more exceeding weight 
of glory 4 borne by some to whom the grasshopper 
had been a burden. 5 

The scene of all the blessedness, — the better 
country, the continuing city, the King's palace, the 
Father's house, the prepared mansions (perhaps 
full of contrasts to the past pilgrimage) — all summed 
up in the transcendent simplicity and sublimity of 
His words, ' That where I am, there ye may be 
also.' 

The music ! What will all the harps of heaven 

1 Rev. xxi. 4. 2l sa . xxxiii. 24. 3 Job iii. 17, 18. 

4 2 Cor. iv. 17. 6 Eccles. xii. 5. 



72 



EVENIXG THOUGHTS. 



be to the thrill of the One Voice, saying, ' Come, 
ye blessed of my Father ! n and, ' Well done, good 
and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy 
Lord.' 2 Our dear ones have heard that ! and that 
one word of the King must have made them most 
blessed for ever. 

But more yet. ' Thou hast made him exceeding 
glad with thy countenance.' ' Hast,' for it is done. 
At this moment they are exceeding glad, and the 
certainty of it stills every quiver of our selfish love. 
The glory and joy of our Lord Christ are revealed 
to them, and they are ' glad also with exceeding 
joy,' 3 rejoicing together with Jesus. 

How can they help reflecting His Divine joy 
when they see it no longer by faith and afar off, but 
visibly, actually ' face to face ! '* nay, more, ' eye 
to eye,' that very closest approach of tenderest in- 
tercourse too deep for words. They see Him ' as 
He is;' in all His beauty and love and glory; 
through no veil, no glass, no tear-mist. 

The prayer for them, ' The Lord lift up His coun- 
tenance upon thee,' 5 is altogether fulfilled, and they 
are ' full of joy with Thy countenance.' And every 
other prayer we ever prayed for them is fulfilled ex- 
ceeding abundantly, above all we asked or thought. 
We may not pray any more for them, because God 
has not left one possibility of blessedness unbe- 
stowed. 

* Breaking the narrow prayers that may 
Befit your narrow hearts, away 
In His broad, loving will.' 

— E. B. Browning. 

1 Matt. xxv. 34. 2 Matt. xxv. 21, 23. 3 Luke xv. 6. 

4 1 Cor. xiii. 12. 5 Num. vi. 26. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



73 



God Himself, their exceeding joy, has done and 
is doing His very best for them. ' Even so, Father ! n 

For I know 
That they who are not lost, but gone before, 
Are only waiting till I come ; for death 
Has only parted us a little while, 
And has not severed e'en the finest strand 
In the eternal cable of our love : 
The very strain has twined it closer still, 
And added strength. The music of their lives 
Is nowise stilled, but blended so with songs 
Around the throne of God, that our poor ears 
No longer hear it. 



TWENTIETH DAY. 



Do Gbou for flDe. 

'Do Thou for Me.' — Ps. cix. 21. 

THE Psalmist does not say what he wanted God 
to do for him. He leaves it open. So this 
most restful prayer is left open for all perplexed 
hearts to appropriate ' according to their several ne- 
cessities.' And so we leave it open for God to fill 
up in His own way. 

Only a trusting heart can pray this prayer at all: 

1 Matt. xi. 26. 



74 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



the very utterance of it is an act of faith. We 
could not ask any one whom we did not know inti- 
mately and trust implicitly to * do ' for us, without 
even suggesting what. 

Only a self-emptied heart can pray it. It is when 
we have come to the end of our own resources, or 
rather, come to see that we never had any at all, 
that we are willing to accept the fact that we can 
' do nothing,' and to let God do everything for us. 

Only a loving heart can pray it. For nobody 
likes another to take them and their affairs in hand, 
and ' do ' for them, unless that other is cordially 
loved. We might submit to it, but we should not 
like it, and certainly should not seek it. 

So, if we have caught at this little prayer as being 
just what we want, just what it seems a real rest to 
say, I think it shows that we do trust in Him and 
not in ourselves, and that we do love Him really and 
truly. There is sure to be a preface to this prayer. 
' Neither know we what to do.' 1 Perhaps we have 
been shrinking from being brought to this. Rather 
let us give thanks for it. It is the step down from 
the drifting wreck on to the ladder still hanging at 
the side. Will another step be down into the dark 
water? Go on, a little lower still, fear not ! The 
next is, 'We know not what we should pray for.' a 
Now we have reached the lowest step. What next ? 
'Do Thou for me.' This is the step into the cap- 
tain's boat. Now He will cut loose from the wreck 
of our efforts, ladder and all will be left behind, and 
we have nothing to do but to ' sit still ' and let Him 

1 2 Chron. xx. 12. 2 Rom. viii. 26. 



EVENING TFI OUGHTS. 75 

take us to our * desired haven,' probably steering 
quite a different course from anything we should 
have thought best. Not seldom ' immediately the 
ship is at the land whither' we went. 

What may we, from His own word, expect in 
answer to this wide petition ? 

1. ' What His soul desireth, even that He doeth.' 1 
Contrast this with our constantly felt inability to do 
a hundredth part of what we desire to do for those 
we love. Think of what God's desires must be for 
us, whom He so loves, that He spared not His own 
Son. 2 'That He doeth! ' 

2. ■ He performeth the thing that is appointed for 
me.' 3 This is wonderfully inclusive; one should 
read over all the epistles to get a view of the things 
present and future, seen and unseen, the grace and 
the glory that He has appointed for us. It includes 
also all the ' good works which God hath before or- 
dained, that we should walk in them.' It will not 
be our performance of them, but His; for He 
* worketh in you to will and to do,' 4 and 'Thou 
also hast wrought all our works in us.' 5 

3. The beautiful old translation says, He ' shall 
perform the cause which I have in hand.' 6 Does 
not that make it very real to us to-day ? Just the 
very thing that ' I have in hand,' my own particular 
bit of work to-day — this cause that I cannot manage, 
this thing that I undertook in miscalculation of my 
own powers, this is what I may ask Him to do ' for 

1 Job xxiii. 13. 2 Rom. viii. 32. 3 Job xxiii. 14. 

4 Phil. ii. 13. 5 Isa. xxvi. is. « Ps. lvii. 2. 



j?6 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

me,' and rest assured that He will perform it. * The 
wise and their works are in the hand of God ! ' 

4. He *' performeth all things for me.' 1 Does 
He mean as much as this ? Well, He has caused it 
to be written for us ' that we might have hope ; ' 2 
and what more do we want ? Then let Him do it. 
Let Him perform all things for us. 

Not some things, but «// things ; or the very things 
which we think there is no particular need for Him 
to perform will be all failures — wood, hay, and 
stubble to be burnt up. One by one let us claim 
this wonderful word ; ' the thing of a day in his day,' 
'as the matter shall require,' being always brought 
to Him with the God-given petition, ' Do Thou for 
me.' 

Do not wait to feel very much ' oppressed ' before 
you say, ' O Lord, undertake for me.' 3 Far better 
say that at first than at last, as we have too often 
done ! Bring the prayer in one hand, and the 
promises in the other, joining them in the faith-clasp 
of ' Do as Thou hast said ! ' 4 And put both the 
hands into the hand of Him whom the Father 
heareth always, saying, ' Do Thou for me, O Lord 
God, for Thy name's sake,' for the sake of Jehovah- 
Jesus, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, yet 
the Saviour of sinners. 



1 Ps. Ivii. 2. 2 Rom. xv. 4. 

8 Isa. xxxviii. 14. 4 2 Sam. vii. 2, 



EVENING THOUGHTS. jy 

TWENTY-FIRST DAY. 



flfcarvettousty Ibelpet), 

« Marvellously helped.' — 2 Chron. xxvi. 15. 

UZZIAH seems to have been the type of a vari- 
ously busy and successful man. He had all 
sorts of irons in the fire. So many energetic interests 
and tastes, with both faculty and opportunity for 
developing them, must have made his life much 
more agreeable and lively than most royal careers. 
His architecture and his agriculture, his war organi- 
zations and his engineering, spread his name far 
abroad. For ' as long as he sought the Lord, God 
made him to prosper.' Yet the end of his story is 
a strange contrast — a leper, dwelling in a several 
house, and cut off from the house of the Lord. 

Where was the turning-point? Probably in the 
words, ' He strengthened himself exceedingly. ' It 
had been God's help and strength before, and he 
had risen very high. Then he thought he was 
strong, and he was brought fearfully low. 

1 Marvellously helped till he was strong.' Then 
who would not be always weak, that they might be 
always ' marvellously helped ! ' 

' Marvellously ! ' For is it not wonderful that 
God should help us at all ? Have we not wondered 
hundreds of times at the singular help He has 



78 



E VE.VIXG THO UGHTS. 



given ? If we have not, what ungrateful blindness ! 
For He has been giving it ever since we were help- 
less babies. ' Through Thee have I been holden up 
ever since I was born.' 1 How much of His help 
has been forgotten or altogether unnoticed. 

The very little things, the microscopical helpings, 
often seem most marvellous of all, when we con- 
sider that it was Jehovah Himself who stooped to 
the tiny need of a moment. And the greater mat- 
ters prove themselves to be the Lord's doing, just 
because they are so marvellous in our eyes. 

Why should we fear being brought to some depth 
of perplexity and trouble when we know He will be 
true to His name, and be 'our Help,' so that we 
shall be even f men wondered at ' because so mar- 
vellously helped ! 

It is not a mere expression. The Bible always 
means what it says ; and so the help to Uzziah, and 
the same help with which God makes us to prosper, 
is literally ' marvellous.' We do wonder at it, or 
ought to wonder at it. Wonder is one of the God- 
given faculties which distinguish us from the beasts 
that perish. And He gives us grand scope for its 
happy exercise not merely in His works in general, 
but in His dealings with us in particular. But won- 
der is always founded upon observation. We do i 
not wonder at that which we do not observe. So, 
if we have not wondered very much at the help He 
has given us, it is because we have not noticed, nor 
considered very much, how great things He hath 
done for us. 

1 Ps. lxxi. 6, p. b. v. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. jg 

Let us turn our special attention to it each day. 
We are wanting help of all kinds all day long ; now 
just observe how He gives it ! Even if nothing the 
least unusual happens, the opened and watching eye 
will see that the whole day is one sweet story of 
marvellous help. And perhaps the greatest marvel 
will be, that He has helped us to see His help after 
very much practical blindness to it. And then the 
marvelling will rise into praising 'the name of the 
Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrous! y with 
you.' 1 

The times of marvellous help are times of danger. 
1 When thou hast eaten and art full, . . . and all 
that thou hast is multiplied,' ' beware lest ' * then 
thy heart be lifted up.' 2 * Wlien he was strong, his 
heart was lifted up to his destruction.' 3 Unclasp 
the ivy from the elm, and it is prostrate at once. 
Thank God, if He keeps us realizing, amidst the 
busiest work, and the pleasantest success, that we 
have no power at all of ourselves to help ourselves ! 
Then there will be nothing to hinder His ' contin- 
ual help.' As long as we say quite unreservedly, 
* My help cometh from the Lord,' 4 the help will 
come. As long as we are saying, ' Thou art my 
help/ 'He is our help,' 'a very present help.' 
Then we shall not ' be holpen with a little help/ 
which is too often all we really expect from our 
omnipotent Helper, just because we do not feel that 
we have ' no might.' Peter was a good swimmer, 
but he did not say, * Lord, help me to swim ! ' He 
said, ' Lord, save me ! ' 3 and so the Master's help 

1 Joel ii. 26. 2 Deut. viii. 11-14. 3 2 Chron. xxvi. 16. 

* Ps. cxxi. 2. 6 Matt. xiv. 30, 31. 



8q EVENING THOUGHTS. 

was instant and complete. * Most gladly therefore 
will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power 
of Christ may rest upon me.' 1 

The Lord hath done great things for thee ! 

All through the fleeted days 
Jehovah hath dealt wondrously ; 

Lift up thy heart and praise ! 
For greater things thine eyes shall see, 

Child of His loving choice ! 
The Lord will do great things for thee ; 

Fear not, be glad, rejoice ! 



TWENTY-SECOND DAY. 



^bou THnt>erstanfce0t. 

'Thou understandest my thought.' — Ps. exxxix. 2. 

WHO does not know what it is to be misunder- 
stood ? Perhaps no one ever is always and 
perfectly understood, because so few Christians are 
like their Master in having the spirit of ' quick un- 
derstanding.' 2 But this does not make it the less 
trying to you ; and you do not feel able to say with 
St. Paul, ' With me it is a very small thing.' 3 But 
this precious Word, which meets every need, gives 
you a stepping-stone which is quite enough to ena- 

* % Cor. xii. 9. 2 Isa. xi. 3. * 1 Cor. iv. 3. 



EVE XING THOUGHTS. 8 1 

ble you to reach that brave position, if you will 
only stand on it. ' Thou understandest my thought. ' 

Even if others ' daily mistake ' your words, He 
understands your thought, and is not this infinitely 
better? He Himself, your ever-loving, ever-pres- 
ent Father, understands. He understands perfectly 
just what and just when others do not. Not your 
actions merely, but your thought — the central self 
which no words can reveal to others. 'All my de- 
sire is before Thee.' 1 He understands how you de- 
sired to do the right thing when others thought you 
did the wrong thing. He understands how His 
poor weak child wants to please Him, and secretly 
mourns over grieving Him. ' Thou understandest ' 
seems to go even a step further than the great com- 
fort of 'Thou knowest.' 'His understanding is 
infinite.' 2 

Perhaps you cannot even understand yourself, 
saying, ' How can a man then understand his own 
way?' 3 Even this He meets, for *' He declareth 
unto man what is His thought.' 4 But are you 
willing to let Him do this? He may show you 
that those who have, as you suppose, misunder- 
stood you, may have guessed right after all. He 
may show you that your desire was not so honest, 
your motives not so single as you fancied ; that 
there was self-will where you only recognized resolu- 
tion, sin where you only recognized infirmity or 
mistake. Let Him search, let Him ' declare ' it 
unto you. For then He will declare another mes- 

1 Ps. xxxviii. 9. 2 Ps. cxlvii. 5. 

8 Prov. xx. 24. 4 Amos iv. 13. 



8 2 EVE XING THOUGHTS. 

sage to you : ' The blood of Jesus Christ His Son 
cleanseth us from all sin.' 1 

Then, when all is clear between Him and you, 
' nothing between ' (and let that ' when ' be 
'now/'), how sweet you will find it in the light 
of His forgiveness, and the new strength of His 
cleansing, to look up and say, ' Thou understandest ! ' 
and wait patiently for Him to let you be understood 
or misunderstood, just as He will, even as Jesus did. 
For who was ever so misunderstood as He? 

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all 
desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid ; 
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspira- 
tion of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love 
Thee, and worthily magnify Thy holy name, through 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 



TWENTY-THIRD DAY. 



Zhc proof of Ibis purpose, 

•No man can come unto me, except it were given him of 
my Father.' — John vi. 65. 

PERHAPS we have hardly counted this as any 
part of the royal comfort of our King. And 
yet it is full of ' strong consolation.' 2 

1 1 John i. 7. 2 Heb. vi. 18. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



83 



If some of us were asked, ' How do you know 
you have everlasting life ? ' we might say, * Because 
God has promised it.' 1 But how do you know He 
has promised it to you? And then if we answered, 
not conventionally, nor what we think we ought to 
say, but honestly what we think, we might say, 
1 Because I have believed and have come to Jesus.' 2 
And this looks like resting our hope of salvation 
upon something that we have done, upon the fact 
of our having consciously believed and consciously 
'come.' And then, of course, any whirlwind of 
doubt will raise dust enough to obscure that fact 
and all the comfort of it. 

Yet there is grand comfort not in it, but in 
the glorious chain of which even this little human 
link is first forged and then held by Jehovah's 
own hand. Apart from this, it is worth nothing at 
all. 

Do not shrink from the words ; do not dare to 
explain them away ; the Faithful and True Witness 
spoke them, the Holy Ghost has recorded them for 
ever : ' No man can come unto Me, except it were 
given unto him of My Father.' 3 There it stands ; 
reiterated and strengthened instead of softened, 
because many even of His disciples murmured at it. 
So our coming to Jesus was not of ourselves; it 
was the gift of God.* 

How did the gift operate ? Not by driving, but 
by drawing. * No man can come to Me, except the 
Father which hath sent Me, draw him.' 5 Here 
comes in the great ' Whosoever will.'* For unless 

1 1 John ii. 25. 2 John iii. 16. 3 John vi. 60-66. 

4 Eph. ii. 8. 6 John vi. 44. 6 Rev. xxii. 17. 



8 4 



E VENING THO UGHTS. 



and until the Father drew us, no mortal born of 
Adam ever wanted to come to Jesus. There was 
nothing else for it ; He had to draw us, or we never 
should have thought of wishing to come ; nay, we 
should have gone on distinctly willing ?iot to come, 
remaining aliens and enemies. Oh, the terrible 
depth of depravity revealed by that keen sword- 
word, 'Ye will not come to Me that ye might have 
life.' 1 Settle it, then, that you never wanted to 
come till He drew you, and praise Him for thus 
beginning at the very beginning with you. You 
were not ready for the ' whosoever will ' before. 
But no one ever had a glimmer of a will to come, 
but that shining ' whosoever ' 2 flashed its world-wide 
splendour for their opening eyes. 

By your will, now being wrought upon more and 
more by His Spirit, the Father drew you, ' with 
cords of a man, with bands of love.' 3 Just examine 
now, — was it not so? was it with anything but lov- 
ing-kindness that He drew you? Remember the 
way by which He led you ; 4 it may have been 
hedged" with thorns, but was it not ' paved with 
love ? ' were not the very stones laid ' with fair 
colours?' 5 Can you help seeing 'the loving- kind- 
nesses of the Lord ' all along? and what were they 
lavished for, but to draw you ? 

That being acknowledged, what next? Loving- 
kindness is the fruit and expression and absolute 
proof of everlasting love. There is no escape from 
this magnificent conclusion, — 'Yea. I have loved 
thee' (personally thee) ' with an everlasting love/ 

1 John v. 40. 2 John iii. 15, 16. 3 Hos. xi. 4. 

4 Deut. viii. 2. 5 Isa. liv. 11. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 85 

for 'therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn 
thee ' (personally thee)} The corning was personal 
and individual; it may have been ' in the press,' 3 
but we had nothing to do with the rest of the 
throng ; we know in ourselves that we, you and I, 
individually, have come. That personal coming 
was because of God the Father's personal drawing. 
I do not know how He drew you, you do not know 
how He drew me ; but without it most certainly 
neither you nor I ever could have come, because we 
never would have come. This personal drawing by 
personal loving-kindness was because of personal 
and individual everlasting love. Coming only be- 
cause drawn, drawn only because loved ! Here we 
reach, and rest on, the firm foundation of the elect- 
ing love of God in Christ, proved by His drawing, 
resulting in our coming ! When we know that this 
sun is shining in the heaven of heavens, should we 
be watching every flicker of our little farthing 
candle of faith ? 

From no less fountain such a stream could flow, 
No other root could yield so fair a flower : 

Had He not loved, He had not drawn us so ; 
Had He not drawn, we had nor will nor power 

To rise, to come, — the Saviour had passed by 

Where we in blindness sat without one care or cry. 

1 Jer. xxxi. 3. 2 Mark v. 27. 



36 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

TWENTY-FOURTH DAY. 



Zhe (Barriering of tbe Xeaat (Brain* 

' I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as 
corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon 
the earth.' — Amos ix. 9. 

THERE is double comfort here, as to others and 
as to ourselves. 

As to others, — have not some of us had a scarcely- 
detected notion, as if to some extent the salvation 
of others depended upon our efforts ? Of course, 
we never put it in so many words ; but has there 
not been something of a feeling that if we tried 
very hard to win a soul we should succeed, and if 
we did not try quite enough it would get lost? 
And this has made our service anxious and burden- 
some. 

But what says Christ ? 'All that the Father giv- 
eth Me shall come to Me.' 1 They shall come, for 
the Father will draw them, and Jesus will attract 
them, and the Holy Spirit will lead them. And the 
purpose precedes the promise, even as the promise 
precedes the call, and the call precedes the coming. 
Thus God first planned and proposed the ark for 
the salvation of Noah from the flood. Then He 
said, 'Thou shalt come into the ark.' 2 Long after 

1 John vi. 37. 2 Gen. vi. 13, 16 ; ib. ver. 18. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



87 



that, when all things were ready, He said, ' Come 
thou and all thy house into the ark.' 1 And then 
Noah went in; and then ' the Lord shut him in.' 2 

Now let us, in our work, practically trust our 
Lord as to His purposes, promises, and calls ; quite 
satisfied that He ' will work, and who shall let it ? ' 3 
that He will not accidentally miss anybody, or lose 
anything of all that the Father hath given Him, for 
this is the Father's own will. 4 

It may seem a great trial of trust very often, but 
who is it that we have to trust thus unquestioningly 
and quietly ? Jesus Christ ! Cannot w<~ trust Him 
whom the Father trusted with the tremendous work 
of redemption ? Shall He not do right ? Cannot 
we trust the Good Shepherd about His own sheep? 
Why should it actually seem harder to trust Him 
about His own affairs than about our own ? ' Trust 
in Him at all times,' 5 includes the time when we 
almost fancy the salvation of a dear one depends 
on our little bits of prayers and efforts. Not that 
this trust will tend to easy-going idleness. It never 
does this when it is real. The deepest trust leads 
to the most powerful action. It is the silencing oil 
that makes the machine obey the motive power with 
greatest readiness and result. 

Then the comfort for ourselves. Satan has de- 
sired to have us, that he may sift us as wheat f but 
the Lord Himself keeps the sieve in His own hand, 
and pledges His word that not the least grain shall 
fall on the earth. 7 

1 Gen. vii. 1. 2 Gen. vii. 7, 16. 3 Isa. xliii. 13. 

4 John vi. 39. 6 p s . ixii 8. 6 Luke xxii. 31. 

? Amos ix. q. 



88 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

We are so glad of that word, 'not the least;'* 
not even me, though less than the least of all saints, 1 
though feeling as if my only claim upon Christ 
Jesus is that I am the chief of sinners. 2 

' Not the least grain ; ' for He says, ' Ye shall be 
gathered one by one.' Think of His hand gather- 
ing you separately and individually out of His 
million-sheaved harvest ; gathering you, one by one 
always, into His garner, even in that tremendous 
day of sifting, when He shall thoroughly purge His 
floor. 3 You may feel a little overlooked sometimes 
now ; only one among so very many, and perhaps 
not first nor even second in anybody's love, or care, 
or interest, but He is watching His ' least grains ' 
all the time. A flock of sheep look most uninter- 
estingly alike and hopelessly undistinguishable to 
us, but a good shepherd knows every one quite well. 
Yes, the Good Shepherd calleth His own sheep by 
name here, 4 and ' in Zion every one of them ap- 
peareth before God.' 5 

For as He said at first, 'All that the Father giveth 
Me shall come to Me ; ' 6 so He says they ' shall come 
from the east and west' 7 to receive the eternal wel- 
come to the great feast of His kingdom ; His ' sons 
shall come from far,' 8 ' they shall come up with ac- 
ceptance; ' till every one (and that means you and 
I) has heard His own ' Come, ye blessed of My 
Father,' 9 and has come into the fulness of all that 
He has prepared for us. 

i Eph. iii. 8. 2 i Tim. i. 15. 3 Matt. iii. 12. 

4 John x. 3. 5 Ps. lxxxiv. 7. 6 John vi. 37. 

1 Matt. viii. 11. 8 Isa. lx. 4, 7. 8 Matt. xxv. 34. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 

Our Saviour and our King, 
Enthroned and crowned above, 

Shall with exceeding gladness bring 
The children of His love. 

All that the Father gave 

His glory shall behold ; 
Not one whom Jesus came to save 

Is missing from His fold. 



8 9 



TWENTY-FIFTH DAY. 



IDtn&icatton. 

'And they shall know.' — Ezek, vi. 10 ; xxxvi. 38, etc. 

*TF they only knew ! ' How often we say or think 
A this when < they ' misunderstand and misjudge 
a person, a position, or an action, just because 
6 they ' do not know what we know ! How we chafe 
against their speaking evil of things which they 
know not, and most of all when ' they ' speak 
wrongly or unworthily of a person whom we know 
much better than ' they ' do ! Ah ! if they only 
knew ! 

This grieving sense of the injustice of ignorance 
rises to a feeling which needs much tempering of 
faith and patience when we see our God Himself 
misunderstood and misjudged. Oh, how they ' daily 
mistake ' His words and His character, and how it 



9 o 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



does pain us ! How we do want them to know what 
He is, even so far as we are privileged to know Him ! 
How every word which shows they do not know 
His exceeding great love and absolute goodness, and 
the sublime balancing of all His attributes, jars upon 
us and distresses us, and causes a quick up-glance 
of His little children who have known the Father, 
and an involuntary closer nestling of their hand in 
His, as if they wanted to give Him fresh assurance 
of their love and confidence, just because these 
others do not know Him ! 

What an added grandeur it gives to our anticipa- 
tions of the day when every eye shall see Him, that 
He, our Father, will be known at last to be what 
He is, and that Jesus, our Lord and Master, will be 
seen in His own glory, and can never, never be 
misunderstood any more? One revels in the thought 
of this great and eternal vindication of Him whom 
we love ; His ways, His works, His word all justi- 
fied, and Himself revealed to the silenced universe, 
henceforth only to receive honour and glory and 
blessing ! It seems as if we should almost forget 
our own share in the glory and joy of His coming 
in this transcendent satisfaction. 

'And they ska// know ! ' It is one of the shining 
threads that run all through the Bible, a supply indeed 
for the heart's desire of those who delight in the 
Lord. It is never long out of sight, judgments and 
mercies being alike sent for this great purpose, that 
men may know that Jehovah is Most High over all 
the earth. For this the waters of the Red Sea re- 
ceded and returned again ; for this Jordan was dried 
up; for this Goliath was delivered into David's 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



91 



hand ; for this 185,000 of the Assyrians were smit- 
ten by God's angel ; and many more instances. 
Throughout Ezekiel it seems the very keyword, re- 
curring seventy-five times as the divine reason of 
divine doings, that they may * know that I am the 
Lord.' 1 Is there not a peculiar solace in this? 

His word, too, shall be vindicated, for ' ye shall 
know that I the Lord have spoken it.' 2 

His ways shall be vindicated, for ' ye shall know 
that I have not done without cause all that I have 
done in it.' 3 ' Thou shalt know hereafter.'* 

His house shall be vindicated, for He will answer 
the prayers ascending from it, ' that they may know 
that thy name is called upon this house.' 

And He will not leave His own children out of 
the great vindication ; for ' the hand of the Lord 
shall be known toward His servants.' 5 'All that 
see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the 
seed which the Lord hath blessed.' 6 More than 
that, the whole world shall < know that Thou hast 
loved them as Thou hast loved Me,' 7 and ' I will 
make them ... to know that I have loved thee.' 8 
Is not this superabounding compensation for any 
tiny share we may now have in the world-wide mis- 
understanding of our Father's wisdom and our 
Saviour's love ? 

' And they shall know,' is not only for those who 
do not know at all ; for ' at that day ye shall know 
that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in 
you,' — revelations of the mysteries of Godhead and 

1 Ezek. xv. 7, etc. 2 Ezek. xvii. 21. 8 Ezek. xiv. 23. 

4 John xiii. 7. 6 Isa. Ixvi. 14 6 I sa> l x i, g t 

1 John xvii. 23, 8 Rev. iii. 9. 



9 2 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



of the ineffable union of Christ with His people, 
which have not yet entered into our hearts to con- 
ceive. ' Then shall we know (if we follow on to 
know) the Lord.' 1 ' For now I know in part 5 but 
then shall I know even as also I am known.'* 

Oh ! the joy to see Thee reigning, 

Thee, my own beloved Lord ! 
Every tongue Thy name confessing, 
Worship, honour, glory, blessing, 

Brought to Thee with glad accord! 
Thee, my Master and my Friend, 

Vindicated and enthroned, 
Unto earth's remotest end, 

Glorified, adored, and owned ! 



TWENTY-SIXTH DAY. 



TOlakeful Ibours. 

'Thou holdest mine eyes waking.' — Ps. Ixxvii. 4. 

IF we could always say, night after night, ' I will 
both lay me down in peace and sleep,' 3 receiv- 
ing in full measure the Lord's quiet gift to His be- 
loved, we should not learn the disguised sweetness 
of this special word for the wakeful ones. When 
the wearisome nights come, it is hushing to know 
that they are appointed. But this is something 

iHos. vi. 3. 2 1 Cor. xiii. 12. 3 Ps. iv. 8. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 93 

nearer and closer-bringing, something individual 
and personal ; not only an appointment, but an act 
of our Father: ' Thou holdest mine eyes waking.' 1 
It is not that He is merely not giving us sleep ; it is 
not a denial, but a different dealing. Every mo- 
ment that the tired eyes are sleepless, it is because 
our Father is holding them waking. It seems so 
natural to say, ' How I wish I could go to sleep ! ' 
Yet even that restless wish may 'be soothed by the 
happy confidence in our Father's hand, which will 
not relax its ' hold ' upon the weary eyelids until 
the right moment has come to let them fall in slum- 
ber. 

Ah ! but we say, ' It is not only wish, I really 
want sleep.' Well; wanting it is one thing, and 
needing it is another. For He is pledged to supply 
'all our need, not all our notions.' And if He 
holds our eyes waking, we may rest assured that, so 
long as He does so, it is not sleep but wakefulness 
that is our true need. 

Now, if we first simply submit ourselves to the 
appointed wakefulness, instead of getting fidgeted 
because we cannot go to sleep, the resting in His 
will, even in this little thing, will bring a certain 
blessing. And the perfect learning of this little 
page in the great lesson-book of our Father's will, 
will make others easier and clearer. 

Then, let us remember that He does nothing 
without a purpose, and that no dealing is meant 
to be resultless. So it is well to pray that we may 
make the most of the wakeful hours, that they may 

1 Ps. xxiii. 14, 



G4 EVE XING THOUGHTS. 

be no more wasted ones than if we were up and 
dressed. They are His hours, for \ the night also 
is Thine.' 1 It will cost no more mental effort (nor 
so much) to ask Him to let them be holy hours, 
filled with His calming presence, than to let the 
mind run upon the thousand ' other things ' which 
•seem to find even busier entrance during the night. 

« With thoughts of Christ and things divine 
Fill up this foolish heart of mine.' 

It is an opportunity for proving the real power of 
the Holy Spirit to be greater than that of the 
Tempter. And He will without fail exert it, when 
sought for Christ's sake. He will teach us to com- 
mune with our own heart upon our bed, or perhaps 
simply to 'be still,' 2 which is, after all, the hardest 
and yet the sweetest lesson. He will bring to our 
remembrance many a word that Jesus has said, and 
even ' the night shall be light about ' 3 us in the 
serene radiance of such rememberings. He will so 
apply the word of God that the promise shall be 
fulfilled : ' When thou awakest, it shall talk with 
thee.'* He will tune the silent hours, and give 
songs in the night, which shall blend in the Father's 
ear with the unheard melodies of angels. 

Can we say, ' With my soul have I desired Thee 
in the night '? 5 and, ' By night on my bed I sought 
Him whom my soul loveth ' ? 6 Then he will fulfil 
that desire ; the very wakefulness should be recog- 
nized as His direct dealing, and we may say, 



1 Ps. lxxiv. 16. 2 Ps. iv. 4. 3 Ps. cxxxix. 11 

* Prov. vi. 22. 5 Isa. xxvi. 9. 6 Cant. iii. 1, 4. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 95 

* Thou hast visited me in the night.' 1 It is not an 
angel that comes to you as to Elijah, and arouses 
you from slumber, but the Lord of angels. He 
watches while you sleep, and when you are awake 
you are still with Him who died for you, that 
whether you wake or sleep, both literally and figura- 
tively, you should live together with Him. 



TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY. 



fllMbnfQbt IRemembertngs. 

1 When I remember Thee upon my bed.' — Ps. lxiii. 6. 

MEMORY is never so busy as in the quiet time 
while we are waiting for sleep ; and never, 
perhaps, are we more tempted to useless recollec- 
tions and idle reveries than ' in the night watches.' 
Perhaps we have regretfully struggled against them ; 
perhaps yielded to effortless indulgence in them, 
and thought we could not help it, and were hardly 
responsible for ' vain thoughts ' at such times. But 
here is full help and bright hope. This night let 
us ' remember Thee. ' We can only remember 
what we already know ; oh praise Him then, that 
we have material for memory ! 

There is enough for all the wakeful nights of a 

1 Ps. xvii. 3. 



9 6 



EVE NIX G THOUGHTS. 



lifetime in the one word 'Thee.' It leads us 
straight to ' His own self;' dwelling on that one 
word, faith, hope, and love, wake up and feed and 
grow. Then the holy remembrance, wrought by 
His Spirit, widens. For * we will remember the 
name of the Lord our God,' 1 in its sweet and mani- 
fold revelations. ' I will remember the years ' and 
' the works of the Lord.' ' Surely I will remember 
Thy wonders of old.' 2 Most of all 'we will re- 
member Thy love J the everlasting love of our 
Father, the ' exceeding great love of our Master 
and only Saviour,' the gracious, touching love of 
our Comforter. And the remembrance of all this 
love will include that of its grand act and proof, 
' Thou shalt remember that . . . Jehovah thy God 
redeemed thee.' 3 

Perhaps we know what it is to feel peculiarly 
weary-hearted and dispirited 'on our beds.' But 
when we say, ' O my God, my soul is cast down 
within me ; ' let us add at once, ' Therefore will I 
remember Thee.'* 

And what then ? what comes of thus remember- 
ing Him ? ' My soul ' (yes, your soul) ' shall be 
satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth 
shall praise Thee with joyful lips : when I remem- 
ber Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in 
the night watches.' 5 What can be a sweeter, fuller 
promise than this ! — our heart's desire fulfilled in 
abundant satisfaction and joyful power of praise ! 
Yet there is a promise sweeter and more thrilling 
still to the loving, longing heart. ' Thou meetest 

1 Ps. xx. 7. 2 Ps. lxxvii. 10, 11. 3-Deut. xv. 15. 

4 Ps. xlii. 6. 6 p s . l x iii. 5i 6. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. gy 

. . . those that remember Thee in Thy ways.' 1 
And so, this very night, as you put away the profit- 
less musings and memories, and remember Him 
upon your bed, He will keep His word and meet 
you. The darkness shall be verily the shadow of 
His wing, for your feeble, yet Spirit-given remem- 
brance, shall be met by His real and actual pres- 
ence, for ' hath He said and shall He not do it?' 2 
Let us pray that this night ' the desire of our soul ' 
may be ' to Thy name, and to the remembrance of 
Thee.'* 



TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY. 



Zbc Brigbt Si&e of ©rowing ©Ifcer* 

* And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou 
shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.' — Job xi. 17. 

I SUPPOSE nobody ever did naturally like the 
idea of getting older, after they had at least 
c left school.' There is a sense of oppression and 
depression about it. The irresistible, inevitable 
onward march of moments and years without the 
possibility of one instant's pause — a march that, 
even while on the uphill side of life, is leading to 
the downhill side — casts an autumn-like shadow 
over even many a spring-birthday ; for perhaps this 

1 Isa. Ixiv. 5. S Num. xxiiu 19. 3 Isa. xxvi. 8. 



9 8 



E VENING 7 HO UG H 7S. 



is never more vividly felt than when one is only pass- 
ing from May to June, — sometimes earlier still. But 
how surely the Bible gives us the bright side of 
everything ! In this case it gives three bright sides 
of a fact, which, without it, could not help being 
gloomy. 

First, it opens the sure prospect of increasing 
brightness to those who have begun to walk in the 
light. Even if the sun of our life has reached the 
apparent zenith, and we have known a very noon- 
day of mental and spiritual being, it is no poetic 
' western shadows ' that are to lengthen upon our 
way, but ' our age is to be clearer than the noon- 
day.' 1 How suggestive that word is! The light, 
though intenser and nearer, shall dazzle less; ' in 
Thy light shall we see light,' 2 be able to bear much 
more of it, see it more clearly, see all else by it 
more clearly, reflect it more clearly. We should 
have said, 'At evening-time there shall be shadow ; ' 
God says, ' At evening-time there shall be light.' 3 

Also we are not to look for a very dismal after- 
noon of life with only some final sunset glow ; for 
He says it ' shineth more and more unto the perfect 
day ; '* and 'more and more ' leaves no dark inter- 
vals; we are to expect a continually brightening 
path. ' The future is one vista of brightness and 
blessedness ' to those who are willing only 'to walk 
in the light.' Just think, when you are seven, or 
ten, or twenty years older, that will only mean 
seven, or ten, or twenty years' more experience of 
His love and faithfulness, more light of the knowl- 

1 Job xi. 17. 2 Ps. xxxvi. 9. 3 Zech. xiv. 7. * Prov. iv. 18. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. qq 

edge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus 
Christ ; and still the ' more and more unto the per- 
fect day,' 1 will be opening out before us ! We are 
' confident of this very thing ! ' 2 

The second bright side is increasing fruitfulness. 
Do hot let us confuse between works and fruit. 
Many a saint in the land of Beulah is not able to 
do anything at all, and yet is bringing forth fruit 
unto God beyond the busiest workers. So that 
even when we come to the days when ' the strong 
men shall bow themselves, ' 3 there may be more 
pleasant fruits for our Master, riper and fuller and 
sweeter, than ever before. For ' they shall still 
bring forth fruit in old age ; ,4 and the man that 
simply ' trusteth in the Lord ' ' shall not be careful 
in the year of drought, neither shall cease from 
yielding fruit.' 5 

Some of the fruits of the Spirit seem to be espe- 
cially and peculiarly characteristic of sanctified 
older years ; and do we not want to bring them all 
forth ? Look at the splendid ripeness of Abraham's 
' faith * in his old age ; the grandeur of Moses' 
' meekness,' when he went up the mountain alone 
to die; the mellowness of St. Paul's 'joy' in his 
later epistles; and the wonderful 'gentleness' of 
St. John, which makes us almost forget his early 
character of ' a son of thunder,' wanting to call 
down God's lightnings of wrath. And ' the same 
Spirit ' is given to us, that we too may bring forth 
' fruit that may abound,' 6 and always ' more fruit. ,T 

The third bright side is brightest of all : l Even 

1 Prov. iv. 18. 2 Phil. i. 6. 3 Eccles. xii. 3. * Ps. xcii. 14. 

6 Jer. xvii. 7, 8. 6 Phil. iv. 17. * John xv. 2. 



IOC EVENING THOUGHTS. 

to your old age, I am He;^ always the same 
Jehovah- Jesus ; with us ' all the days,' bearing and 
carrying us ' all the days ; ' reiterating His promise 
— ' even to hoar hairs will I carry you . . . ; even 
I will carry and will deliver you,' 2 just as He car- 
ried the lambs in His bosom. 3 For we shall always 
be His little children, and ' doubtless ' 4 He will 
always be our Father. The rush of years cannot 
touch this ! 

Fear not the westering shadows, 

O Children of the Day ! 
For brighter still and brighter, 

Shall be your homeward way. 
Resplendent as the morning, 

With fuller glow and power, 
And clearer than the noonday, 

Shall be your evening hour. 



TWENTY-NINTH DAY. 



Zfoe Earnests of flDore ano flDore. 

1 He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He 
will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, 
and the latter rain in the first month.' — Joel ii. 23. 



G 



OD keeps writing a commentary on His Word 
in the volume of our own experience. That 



1 Isa. xlvi. 4. 2 Isa. lxiii. 9 ; ib. xlvi. 4. 

3 lea. xl. iz. * Isa. lxiii. 16. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. IOI 

is, in so far as we put that volume into His hands, 
and do not think to fill it with our own scribble. 
We are not to undervalue or neglect this com- 
mentary, but to use it as John Newton did, when 
he wrote — 

' His love in time past forbids me to think 
He'll leave me at last in trouble to sink ; 
Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review 
Confirms His good pleasure to help me quite through.' 

The keywords of what the Spirit writes in it are, 
' He hath,' and therefore ' He will.' Every record 
of love bears the great signatures, ' I am the Lord, 
I change nor ; n ' Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, 
and to-day, and for ever.' 2 Every Hitherto of 
grace and help is a Henceforth of more grace and 
more help. Every experience of the realities of 
faith widens the horizon of the possibilities of faith. 
Every realized promise is the stepping-stone to one 
yet unrealized. 

This principle (and it is a very delightful one) 
of arguing from what God has done for us to what 
He will do for us, comes up perpetually in all parts 
of His word. If He hath given us the former rain, 
it is the pledge and proof that ' He will cause to 
come down for us the rain, the former rain, and the 
latter rain ; ' 3 the blessing already given shall be 
continued or repeated, and a fuller future one shall 
be certainly added. Manoah's wife argued well: 
1 If the Lord were pleased to kill us, He would not 
. . . have showed us all these things, nor told us 
such things as these.' 4 Oh consider what things 

i Mai. iii. 6. 2 Heb. xiii. 8. 3 Joel ii. 26. * Judges xiii. S3. 



102 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



the Lord has shown and told you and me ! are they 
not abounding proofs of His purposes towards us ? 
David made frequent use of the thought, arguing 
from the less to the greater : ' The Lord that de- 
livered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the 
paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the 
hand of this Philistine.' 1 St. Paul gives a close 
parallel, rising from temporal to spiritual deliver- 
ance : ' I was delivered out of the mouth of the 
lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every 
evil work.' 2 

' Who delivered us from so great a death and 
doth deliver ; in whom we trust that He will yet 
deliver us.' 3 

' The Lord hath heard the voice of my supplica- 
tion ; the Lord will receive my prayer.' 4 'The 
Lord hath dealt bountifully with me,' comes first ; 
then follows, ' Deal bountifully with Thy servant ; ' 
and then, 'Thou shall deal bountifully with me.' 
' The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof 
we are glad,' 5 leads us on to the prophecy, ' Be 
glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things.' 6 

The same argument is used in prayer. ' Pardon, 
I beseech Thee, the iniquity of Thy people, . . . 
as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even 
until now.' 7 'Thou hast delivered my soul from 
death ; wilt Thou not deliver my feet from falling ?' 8 
So in the lovely typical request of Achsah to her 
father, ' Give me a blessing ; for thou hast given 
me a south land ; give me also springs of water.' 9 



1 i Sam. xvii 
* Ps. vi. 9. 
1 Num. xiv. 19 



37- 



2 2 Tim. iv. 17, 18. 
6 Ps. cxxvi. 3. 
8 Ps. lvi. 13. 



3 2 Cor. i. 10. 
6 Joel ii. 21. 
9 Judges i. 15. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



103 



Turn now to the basis of such expressions of trust 
and petition. * He that spared not His own Son,' 
— there is the entirely incontrovertible fact of what 
He hath done : ' shall He with Him also freely give 
us all things,' 1 — there is the inspired conclusion of 
what He will do. ' Having loved His own which 
were in the world, He loved them unto the end.' 2 
' He which hath begun a good work in you will 
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.' 3 For how 
true is the type, both as to each individual temple 
of the Holy Ghost, and ' all the building that 
groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord :' 4 — ' The 
hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of 
this house, his hands shall also finish it,' 5 — ' His 
own house, whose house are we.' 6 Our Lord Jesus 
Christ endorses it in the very amen of His great 
prayer : ' I have declared unto them Thy name, 
and will declare it.' 7 Only let us simply receive 
and believe what He shows us and tells us, and then 
to every Nathanael who comes to Him, He will 
say, ' Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under 
the fig-tree, believest thou ? thou shalt see greater 
things than thes ' 8 Then we shall have, personally 
and indeed, ' showers of blessing.' 9 

Unto him that hath Thou givest 

Ever more abundantly ; 
Lord, I live because Thou livest, 

Therefore give more life to me, 
Therefore speed me in the race, 
Therefore let me grow in grace. 



1 Rom. viii. 32. 2 J hn xiii. 1. 3 Phil. ;. 6. 

* Eph. ii. 21. 6 Zech. iv. 9. 6 Heb. iii. 6. 

1 John xvii. 26. 8 John i. 50. * Ezek. xxxiv. a6. 



104 



E VENING THO UGHTS. 



THIRTIETH DAY. 



Zbe perpetual presence, 

* Lo, I am with you alway.' — Matt, xxviii. 20. 

SOME of us think and say a good deal about ' a 
sense of His presence ; ' sometimes rejoicing 
in it, sometimes going mourning all the day long 
because we have it not; praying for it, and not 
always seeming to receive what we ask ; measuring 
our own position, and sometimes even that of 
others, by it ; now on the heights, now in the 
depths about it. And all this April-like gleam and 
gloom instead of steady summer glow, because we 
are turning our attention upon the sense of His 
presence, instead of the changeless reality of it ! 

All our trouble and disappointment about it is 
met by His own simple word, and vanishes in the 
simple faith that grasps it. For if Jesus says simply 
and absolutely, ' Lo, I am with you alway, 1 what 
have we to do with feeling or 'sense' about it? 
We have only to believe it, and to recollect it. And 
it is only by thus believing and recollecting that we 
can realize it. 

It comes practically to this : Are you a disciple 
of the Lord Jesus at all ? If so, He says to you, 
'I am with you alway.' That overflows all the 
regrets of the past and all the possibilities of the 
future, and most certainly includes the present. 



£ VENING THO UGHTS. 



105 



Therefore, at this very moment, as surely as your 
eyes rest on this page, so surely is the Lord Jesus 
with you. 'I am/ is neither 'I was,' nor 'I will 
be.' It is always abreast of our lives, always en- 
compassing us with salvation. It is a splendid per- 
petual ' Now.' It always means 'I am with you 
now/ or it would cease to be ' I am ' and ' alway.' 

Is it not too bad to turn round upon that gracious 
presence, the Lord Jesus Christ's own personal 
presence here and now, and, without one note of 
faith or whisper of thanksgiving, say, ' Yes, but I 
don't realize it ! ' Then it is, after all, not the 
presence, but the realization that you are seeking — 
the shadow, not the substance ! Honestly, it is so ! 
For you have such absolute assurance of the reality, 
put into the very plainest words of promise that 
divine love could devise, that you dare not make 
Him a liar and say, ' No ! He is not with me ! ' 
All you ca?i say is, 'I don't feel a sense of His 
presence.' Well, then, be ashamed of doubting 
your beloved Master's faithfulness, and ' never open 
thy mouth any more n in His presence about it. 
For those doubting, desponding words were said in 
His presence. He was there, with you, while you 
said or thought them. What must He have thought 
of them ! 

As the first hindrance to realization is not be- 
lieving His promise, so the second is not recollecting 
it, not 'keeping it in memory.' 2 If we were always 
recollecting, we should be always realizing. But 
we go forth from faith to forgetfulness, and there 

1 Ezek. xvi. 63. 2 x Qor. xv. 3. 



I0 6 EVEXIXG THOUGHTS. 

seems no help for it. Neither is there, in ourselves. 
But ' in Me is thine help.' 1 Jesus Himself had pro- 
vided against this before He gave the promise. He 
said that the Holy Spirit should bring all things to 
our remembrance. 2 It is no use laying the blame 
on our poor memories, when the Almighty Spirit is 
sent that He may strengthen them. Let us make 
real use of this promise, and we shall certainly find 
it sufficient for the need it meets. He can, and He 
will, give us that holy and blessed recollectedness, 
which can make us dwell in an atmosphere of re- 
membrance of His presence and promises, through 
which all other things may pass and move without 
removing it. 

Unbelief and forgetfulness are the only shadows 
which can come between us and His presence ; 
though, when they have once made the separation, 
there is room for all others. Otherwise, though all 
the shadows of earth fell around, none could fall 
between ; and their very darkness could only in- 
tensify the brightness of the pavilion in which we 
dwell, the Secret of His Presence. They could not 
touch what one has called ' the unutterable joy of 
shadowless communion.' 

What shall we say to our Lord to-night? He 
says, 'I am with you alway.' Shall we not put 
away all the captious contradictoriness of quota- 
tions of our imperfect and double-fettered experi- 
ence, and say to Him, lovingly, confidingly, and 
gratefully, * Thou art with me!' 3 

* Hos. xiii. 9. 8 John xiv. 26. 8 Ps. xxiii. 4. 



E VENING THO UGH TS. 

« I am with thee ! ' He hath said it, 

In His truth and tender grace ! 
Sealed the promise, grandly spoken, 
With how many a mighty token 
Of His love and faithfulness ! 

* I am with thee ! ' With thee always 

All the nights and ' all the days ; ' 
Never failing, never frowning, 
With His loving-kindness crowning, 
Tuning all thy life to praise. 



107 



THIRTY-FIRST DAY. 



Zhc ffame^eycelling IRealit?, 

' Thou exceedest the fame that I heard.' — 2 Chron. ix. 6. 

THOU ! Lord Jesus ! for whom have I in heaven 
but Thee ? and there is none upon earth that 
I desire beside Thee. 1 Thou ! who hast loved me 
and washed me from my sins in Thine own blood. 
Thou ! who hast given Thyself for me. Thou ! 
who hast redeemed me, called me, drawn me, 
waited for me. Thou ! who hast given me Thy 
Holy Spirit to testify of Thee. Thou ! whose life 
is mine, and with whom my life is entwined, so that 
nothing shall separate or entwine it. 'Thou ex- 
ceedest the fame that I heard ! ' 

1 Ps. lxxiii. 25. 



I0 8 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

Yet I heard a great fame of Thee. They told 
me Thou wert gracious. They told me as much as 
they could put into words. And they said, ' Come 
and see.' 1 I tried to come, but I could not see. 
My eyes were holden, 2 though Thou wast 'not far.' 3 
Then I heard what Thou wast to others, and I knew 
that Thou wast the same Lord. But now I believe, 
not because of their saying, for I have heard Thee 
myself, and know that Thou art indeed the Christ, 
the Saviour of the world — my Saviour. Thee, 
'whom 1 shall see for myself, ' 4 I now know for my- 
self; my Lord and my God. 5 

I did not understand how there could be satisfac- 
tion here and now. It seemed necessarily future, 
in the very nature of things. It seemed, in spite of 
Thy promises, that the soul could never be filled 
with anything but heaven. But Thou fillest, Thou 
satisfiest it. 

Now it wonder ingly rejoiceth, 
Finds in Thee unearthly bliss, 

Rests in Thy divine perfection, 
And is satisfied with this. 

Altogether fair and lovely, 

Evermore the same to me ; 
Precious, infinite Lord Jesus, 

/ am satisfied with Thee ! ' 

— Jean S. Pigott. 

For Thou exceedest the fame that I heard. I find 
in Thee more than I heard, more than I expected, 



1 John i 
*Jobxi 



. .. 46. 2 Luke xxiv. 16. 3 Acts xvii. %j. 

xix. 27. 6 John xx. 28. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 109 

'more than all.' The excellency of the knowledge 
of Thee, Christ Jesus my Lord, not only includes 
all other treasures of wisdom and knowledge, but 
outshines them all. Every other fame that I heard 
has had some touch of disappointment ; imagina- 
tion could always flash beyond reality, even if actual 
expectation, quieted by experience, had kept within 
the mark. But ' now I see n that Thou exceedest 
all that God-given mental powers can reach ; every 
glimpse is but an opening vista, all the music is but 
a prelude ; what I know of Thee only magnifies the 
yet unknown. All the God-implanted craving for 
something beyond, all the instinct for the infinite, 
is met, responded to, satisfied in Thee. There is no 
part of my being but finds its full scope and its true 
sphere in Thee. 

Thou exceedest all that I heard in every respect. 
No one could tell me what Thy pardoning love, 
Thy patience, Thy long-suffering would be to me. 
No one could tell me how Thy strength, Thy grace, 
Thy marvellous help would fit into the least as well 
as the greatest of my continual needs. No one 
could tell me what grace was poured into Thy lips 
for me. 2 Thou art All to each of Thy children ; a 
complete and all excelling Christ to every one, as 
if it were only for each one. Thy secret is with 
each. 3 Thou givest the white stone and the new 
name which no man knoweth saving he that re- 
ceiveth it.* And if Thou exceedest all that I heard, 
now and here amid the shadows and the veils, how 



1 John ix. 25. 2 p s . xlv. 2 . 

8 Ps. xxv. 14. 4 Rev. ii. 17. 



IIO EVENING THOUGHTS. 

far more exceeding will be Thy unshadowed and 
unveiled glory ! Lord Jesus, I bless Thee for Thy 
promised eternity. For I shall need it all to praise 
Thee, that Thou exceedest the fame that I heard ! 



EVENING MELODIES 



EVENING THOUGHTS. H 3 



FIRST DAY. 



Consecration Ib^mn* 

6 Here we offer and present unto Thee, O Lord, ourselves, 
our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacri- 
fice unto Thee.' 

TAKE my life, and let it be 
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. 

Take my moments and my days ; 
Let them flow in ceaseless praise. 

Take my hands, and let them move 
At the impulse of Thy love. 

Take my feet, and let them be 
Swift and ' beautiful ' for Thee. 

Take my voice, and let me sing 
Always, only, for my King. 

Take my lips, and let them be 
Filled with messages from Thee. 

Take my silver and my gold ; 
Not a mite would I withhold. 



114 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 

Take my intellect, and use 

Every power as Thou shalt choose. 

Take my will, and make it Thine ; 
It shall be no longer mine. 

Take my heart, it is Thine own ; 
It shall be Thy royal throne. 

Take my love ; my Lord, I pour 
At Thy feet its treasure -store. 

Take myself, and I will be 
Ever, only, all for Thee. 



SECOND DAY. 



Set Hpart 

« Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for 
Himself.'— Ps. iv. 3. 

I. 

SET apart for Jesus ! 
Is not this enough, 
Though the desert prospect 
Open wild and rough ? 
Set apart for His delight, 

Chosen for His holy pleasure, 
Sealed to be His special treasure ! 
Could we choose a nobler joy ? — and would we if 
we might ? 



EVENING THOUGHTS. u^ 



II. 



Set apart to serve Him ! 

Ministers of light, 
Standing in His presence, 
Ready day or night ! 
Chosen for the service blest, 

He would have us always willing, 
Like the angel host fulfilling 
Swiftly and rejoicingly each recognized behest. 

III. 

Set apart to praise Him, 

Set apart for this ! 
Have the blessed angels 
Any truer bliss ? 
Soft the prelude, though so clear \ 
Isolated tones are trembling ; 
But the chosen choir, assembling, 
Soon shall sing together, while the universe shall 
hear. 

IV. 

Set apart to love Him, 

And His love to know I 
Not to waste affection 
On a passing show. 
Called to give Him life and heart, 

Called to pour the hidden treasure, 
That none other claims to measure, 
Into His beloved hand 1 thrice blessed ' set apart ! ' 



Il6 EVE NIX G THOUGHTS. 



Set apart for ever 

For Himself alone ! 
Now we see our calling, 
Gloriously shown. 
Owning, with no secret dread, 
This our holy separation, 
Now the crown of consecration 
Of the Lord our God shall rest upon our willing 
head I 1 



THIRD DAY. 



Zbc Secret of a Ibappu 2>a\>. 

' The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.' 
Ps. xxv. 14. 



UST to let thy Father do 

What He will; 
Just to know that He is true, 

And be still. 
Just to follow hour by hour 

As He leadeth; 
Just to draw the moment's power 

As it needeth. 

1 Num. vi. 7. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. XI y 

Just to trust Him, this is all ! 

Then the day will surely be 
Peaceful, whatsoe'er befall, 

Bright and blessed, calm and free. 

II. 

Just to let Him speak to tfc^e 

Through His Word, 
Watching, that His voice may be 

Clearly heard. 
Just to tell Him everything 

As it rises, 
And at once to Him to brin£ 

All surprises. 
Just to listen, and to stay 

Where you cannot miss His vo>ce- 
This is all ! and thus to-day, 
Communing, you shall rejoice. 

III. 

Just to ask Him what to do 

All the day, 
And to make you quick and true 

To obey. 
Just to know the needed grace 

He bestoweth, 
Every bar of time and place 

Overfloweth. 
Just to take thy orders straight 

From the Master's own command* 
Blessed day ! when thus we wait 
Always at our Sovereign's hand. 



n8 



E VENIXG THO UGHTS. 



IV. 

Just to recollect His love, 

Always true; 
Always shining from above, 

Always new. 
Just to recognize its light, 

All-enfolding ; 
Just to claim its present might, 

All-upholding. 
Just to know it as thine own, 

That no power can take away. 
Is not this enough alone 
For the gladness of the day? 

V. 

Just to trust, and yet to ask 

Guidance still ; 
Take the training or the task, 

As He will. 
Just to take the loss or gain, 

As He sends it ; 
Just to take the joy or pain, 

As He lends it. 
He who formed thee for His praise 
Will not miss the gracious aim ; 
So to-day and all thy days 

Shall be moulded for the same. 



VI. 

Just to leave in His dear hand 

Little things, 
All we cannot understand, 

All that stings. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 

Just to let Him take the care 

Sorely pressing, 
Finding all we let Him bear 
Changed to blessing. 
This is all ! and yet the way 

Marked by Him who loves thee best ; 
Secret of a happy day, 

Secret of His promised rest. 



119 



FOURTH DAY. 



Zhc ^Unfailing ©ne* 

' He faileth not.'— Zeph. iii. 5. 
I. 

HE who hath led, will lead 
All through the wilderness ; 
He who hath fed, will feed ; 

He who hath blessed, will bless ■ 
He who hath heard thy cry, 
Will never close His ear ; 
He who hath marked thy faintest sigh, 
Will not forget thy tear. 
He loveth always, faileth never ; 
So rest on Him, to-day, for ever ! 

II. 
He who hath made thee whole 

Will heal thee day by day ; 
He who hath spoken to thy soul 

Hath many things to say. 



120 EVENING 7 NOUGHTS. 

He who hath gently taught 

Yet more will make thee know ; 
He who so wondrously hath wrought 
Yet greater things will show. 
He loveth always, faileth never ; 
So rest on Him, to-day, for ever I 

III. 

He who hath made thee nigh 

Will draw thee nearer still ; 
He who hath given the first supply 

Will satisfy and fill. 
He who hath given thee grace 

Yet more and more will send ; 
He who hath set thee in the race 

Will speed thee to the end. 
He loveth always, faileth never ; 
So rest on Him, to-day, for ever ! 

IV. 

He who hath won thy heart 

Will keep it true and free ; 
He who hath shown thee what thou ait 

Will show Himself to thee. 
He who hath bid thee live, 

And made thy life His own, 
Life more abundantly will give, 

And keep it His alone ; 
He loveth always, faileth never ; 
So rest on Him, to-day, for ever I 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 12 j 

V. 

Then trust Him for to-day 

As thine unfailing Friend, 
And let Him lead thee all the way, 

Who loveth to the end. 
And let the morrow rest 

In His beloved hand ; 
His good is better than our best, 

As we shall understand, — 
If, trusting Him who faileth never, 
We rest on Him, to-day, for ever ! 



FIFTH DAY. 



©n tbe Xorb's Si&e. 

« Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of J 
I Chron. xii. 18. 



WHO is on the Lord's side ? 
Who will serve the King ? 
Who will be His helpers, 

Other lives to bring ? 
Who will leave the world's side ? 

Who will face the foe ? 

Who is on the Lord's side ? 

Who for Him will go ? 



122 



E VENING THO UGHTS. 

Response. By Thy call of mercy, 
By Thy grace divine, 
We are on the Lord's side; 
Saviour, we are Thine. 

II. 

Not for weight of glory, 

Not for crown and palm, 
Enter we the army, 

Raise the warrior-psalm ; 
But for Love that claimeth 

Lives for" whom He died : 
He whom Jesus nameth 
Must be on His side. 
Response. By Thy love constraining, 
By Thy grace divine, 
We are on the Lord's side; 
Saviour, we are Thine. 

III. 

Jesus, Thou hast bought us, 

Not with gold or gem, 
But with Thine own life-blood, 

For Thy diadem. 
With Thy blessing filling 

Each who comes to Thee, 
Thou hast made us willing, 
Thou hast made us free. 
Response. By Thy grand redemption, 
By Thy grace divine, 
We are on the Lord's side ; 
Saviour, we are Thine. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 12 o 

IV. 

Fierce may be the conflict, 

Strong may be the foe, 

But the King's own army 

None can overthrow. 
Round His standard ranging, 

Victory is secure, 
For His truth unchanging 
Makes the triumph sure. 
Response. Joyfully enlisting 

By thy grace divine, 
We are on the Lord's side ; 
Saviour, we are Thine. 

V. 

Chosen to be soldiers 

In an alien land ; 
' Chosen, called, and faithful,' 

For our Captain's band ; 
In the service royal 

Let us not grow cold ; 
Let us be right loyal, 

Noble, true, and bold. 
Response. Master, Thou wilt keep us, 
By Thy grace divine, 
Always on the Lord's side, 
Saviour, always Thine. 



I2 4 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

SIXTH DAY. 



Grue^bearteb, Wbole^bearteb, 

i. 

TRUE-HEARTED, whole-hearted, faithful and 
loyal, 
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be ! 
Under Thy standard, exalted and royal, 

Strong in Thy strength, we will battle for Thee ! 

II. 

True-hearted, whole-hearted ! Fullest allegiance 
Yielding henceforth to our glorious King ; 

Valiant endeavour and loving obedience 
Freely and joyously now would we bring. 

III. 
True-hearted ! Saviour, Thou knowest our story ; 

Weak are the hearts that we lay at Thy feet, 
Sinful and treacherous ! yet, for Thy glory, 

Heal them, and cleanse them from sin and deceit. 

IV. 

Whole-hearted ! Saviour, beloved and glorious, 
Take Thy great power, and reign Thou alone, 

Over our wills and affections victorious, 
Freely surrendered, and wholly Thine own. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. I2 c 

V. 

JIa/f-hearted, false-hearted ! Heed we the warning ! 

Only the whole can be perfectly true ; 
Bring the whole offering, all timid thought scorning, 

True-hearted only if whole-hearted too. 

VI. 

Half-hearted ! Saviour, shall aught be withholden, 
Giving Thee part who hast given us all ? 

Blessings outpouring, and promises golden 
Pledging, with never reserve or recall. 

VII. 

Half-hearted ! Master, shall any who know Thee 
Grudge Thee their lives, who hast laid down 
Thine own ? 
Nay; we would offer the hearts that we owe 
Thee,— 
Live for Thy love and Thy glory alone. 

VIII. 

Sisters, dear sisters, the call is resounding, 

Will ye not echo the silver refrain, 
Mighty and sweet, and in gladness abounding, — 

' True-hearted, whole-hearted ! ' ringing again ? 

IX. 

Jesus is with us, His rest is before us, 
Brightly His standard is waving above. 

Brothers, dear brothers, in gathering chorus, 
Peal out the watchword of courage and love I 



I2 6 EVE XING THOUGHTS. 

X. 

Peal out the watchword, and silence it never, 
Song of our spirits, rejoicing and free ! 

1 True-hearted, whole-hearted, now and for ever, 
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be ! ' 



SEVENTH DAY. 



'B? Hb2 Cross ant> passion.' 

' He hath given us rest by His sorrow, and life by His death.' 
— John Bunyan. 

I. 

WHAT hast Thou done for me, O mighty Friend, 
Who lovest to the end ! 
Reveal Thyself, that I may now behold ! 

Thy love unknown, untold, 
Bearing the curse, and made a curse for me, 
That blessed and made a blessing I might be. 

II. 

Oh, Thou wast crowned with thorns, that I might 
wear 

A crown of glory fair ; 
'Exceeding sorrowful,' that I might be 

Exceeding glad in Thee ; 
' Rejected and despised,' that I might stand 
Accepted and complete on Tny right hand. 






EVENING THOUGHTS. 12 y 

III. 

Wounded for my transgression, stricken sore, 

That I might ' sin no more ; ' 
Weak, that I might be always strong in Thee ; 

Bound, that I might be free ; 
Acquaint with grief, that I might only know 
Fulness of joy in everlasting flow. 

IV. 

Thine was the chastisement, with no release, 
That mine might be the peace ; 

The bruising and the cruel stripes were Thine, 
That healing might be mine ; 

Thine was the sentence and the condemnation, 

Mine the acquittal and the full salvation. 

V. 

For Thee revilings, and a mocking throng, 

For me the angel-song ; 
For Thee the frown, the hiding of God's face, 

For me His smile of grace ; 
Sorrows of hell and bitterest death for Thee, 
And heaven and everlasting life for me. 

VI. 

Thy cross and passion, and Thy precious death, 

While I have mortal breath, 
Shall be my spring of love and work and praise, 

The life of all my days ; 
Till all this mystery of love supreme 
Be solved in glory — glory's endless theme! 



l 2 8 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

EIGHTH DAY. 



Zhe ©penet) ffountain, 

* A fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness. . • 
Wounded in the house of My friends.' — Zech. xiii. I, 6. 

I. 

AND I have wounded Thee — oh, wounded 
Thee!— 
Wounded the dear, dear Hand that holds me 
fast! 
Oh, to recall the word ! That cannot be ! 

Oh, to unthink the thought that out of reach 
hath passed ! 

II. 

Sorrow and bitter grief replace my bliss ; 

I could not wish that any joy should be ; 
There is no room for any thought but this, 

That I have sinned — have sinned — have wounded 
Thee! 

III. 

How could I grieve Thee so ! Thou couldst have 
kept; 

My fall was not the failure of Thy word. 
Thy promise hath no flaw, no dire ' except/ 

To neutralize the grace so royally conferred. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 
IV. 



129 



Oh, the exceeding sinfulness of sin ! 

Tenfold exceeding in the love-lit light 
Of Thy sufficient grace, without, within, 

Enough for every need, in never-conquered 
might! 

V. 

With all the shame, with all the keen distress, 
Quick, 'waiting not,' I flee to Thee again ; 

Close to the wound, beloved Lord, I press, 

That Thine own precious blood may overflow the 
stain. 

VI. 

O precious blood ! Lord, let it rest on me ! 

I ask not only pardon from my King, 
But cleansing from my Priest. I come to Thee 

Just as I came at first, — a sinful, helpless thing. 

VII. 

Oh, cleanse me now ! My Lord, I cannot stay 
For evening shadows and a silent hour : 

Now I have sinned, and now, with no delay, 
I claim Thy promise and its total power. 

VIII. 

O Saviour, bid me ' go and sin no more,' 
And keep me always 'neath the mighty flow 

Of Thy perpetual fountain ; I implore 

That Thy perpetual cleansing I may fully know. 



I30 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

NINTH DAY. 



Gbe precious Bloob of 3eau0, 
1. 

PRECIOUS, precious blood of Jesus, 
Shed on Calvary ; 
Shed for rebels, shed for sinners, 
Shed for me. 

II. 

Precious blood, that hath redeemed us ! 

All the price is paid ; 
Perfect pardon now is offered, 

Peace is made. 

III. 

Precious, precious blood of Jesus, 

Let it make thee whole ; 
Let it flow in mighty cleansing 

O'er thy soul. 

IV. 

Though thy sins are red like crimson, 

Deep in scarlet glow, 
Jesus' precious blood can make them 

White as snow. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 

V. 

Now the holiest with boldness 

We may enter in, 
For the open fountain cleanseth 

From all sin. 

VI. 

Precious blood ! by this we conquer 

In the fiercest fight, 
Sin and Satan overcoming 

By its might, 

VII. 

Precious, precious blood of Jesus, 

Ever flowing free ! 
O believe it, O receive it, 

'Tis for thee ! 

VIII. 

Precious blood, whose full atonement 
Makes us nigh to God ! 

Precious blood, our song of glory, 
Praise and laud ! 



131 



132 



E VEXIXG THO UGHTS. 



TENTH DAY. 



11 IRemember £bee, 

« Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy 
youth, the love of thine espousals.' — Jer. ii. 2. 

I. 

MY Lord, dost" Thou indeed remember me, 
Just me, the least and last ? 
With all the names of Thy redeemed, 
And all Thy angels, has it seemed 
As though my name might perhaps be overpassed \ 
Yet here I find Thy word of tenderest grace, 
True for this moment, perfect for my case, — 
' Thus saith Jehovah, I remember thee ! ' 

II. 

My Lord, dost Thou remember this of me, 
The kindness of my youth ? — 
The tremulous gleams of early days, 
The first faint thrills of love and praise, 
Vibrating fitfully ? Not much, in truth, 
Can I bring back at memory's wondering call ; 
Yet Thou, my faithful Lord, rememberest all,— 
1 Thus saith Jehovah, I remember thee ! ' 

III. 
My Lord, dost Thou remember this of me, 
My love, so poor, so cold ? 
Oh, if I had but loved Thee more ! 
Yet Thou hast pardoned. Let me pour 



E VEXIXG THO UGHTS. 



133 



My life's best wine for Thee, my heart's best gold 

(Worthless, yet all I have), for very shame 

That Thou should' st tell me, calling me by 

name, — 
e Thus saith Jehovah, I remember thee ! ' 

IV. 

My Lord, dost Thou remember this of me, 
The day of Thine own power ? 

The love of mine espousals sweet, 

The laying wholly at thy feet 
Of heart and life, in that glad, willing hour? 
That love was Thine — I gave Thee but Thine own, 
And yet the Voice falls from the emerald throne, — ■ 
1 Thus saith Jehovah, I remember thee ! ' 

V. 

My Lord, dost Thou remember this of me ? 
Forgetting every fall, 

Forgetting all the treacherous days, 

Forgetting all the wandering ways, 
With fulness of forgiveness covering all ; 
Casting these memories, a hideous store, 
Into the crimson sea, for evermore, 
And only saying, ' I remember thee ! ' 

VI. 

My Lord, art Thou indeed remembering me ? 
Then let me not forget ! 
Oh, be Thy kindness all the way, 
Thy everlasting love to-day, 



134 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



In sweet perpetual remembrance set 
Before my view, to fill my marvelling gaze, 
And stir my love, and lift my life to praise, 
Because Thou sayest, ' I remember thee ! ' 



ELEVENTH DAY. 



knowing, 
i. 

I KNOW the crimson stain of sin, 
Defiling all without, within ; 
But now rejoicingly I know 
That He has washed me white as snow. 
I praise Him for the cleansing tide, 
Because I know that Jesus died. 

II. 

I know the helpless, hopeless plaint, 

' The whole head sick, the whole heart faint ; 

But now I trust His touch of grace, 

That meets so perfectly my case, 

So tenderly, so truly deals ; 

Because I know that Jesus heals. 

III. 

I know the pang of forfeit breath, 
When life in sin was life in death; 



EVE NIX G THOUGHTS. 135 

But now I know His life is mine, 
And nothing shall that cord untwine, 
Rejoicing in the life He gives, 
Because I know that Jesus lives, s 

IV. 

I know how anxious thought can press, 
I know the weight of carefulness ; 
But now I know the sweet reward 
Of casting all upon my Lord, 
No longer bearing what He bears, 
Because I know that Jesus cares. 

V. 

I know the sorrow that is known 

To the tear-burdened heart alone ; 

But now I know its full relief 

Through Him who was acquaint with grief, 

And peace through every trial flows, 

Because I know that Jesus knows. 

VI. 

I know the gloom amid the mirth, 
The longing for the love of earth ; 
But now I know the Love that fills, 
That gladdens, blesses, crowns and stills, 
That nothing mars and nothing moves, — 
I know, I know that Jesus loves ! 

VII. 

I know the shrinking and the fear, 

When all seems wrong, and nothing clear ; 



I36 E VEN1NG THO UGHTS. 

But now I gaze upon His throne, 
And faith sees all His foes o'erthrown, 
And I can wait till He explains, 
Because I know that Jesus reigns. 



TWELFTH DAY. 



trusting 3esu0, 



I AM trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, 
Trusting only Thee ; 
Trusting Thee for full salvation, 
Great and free. 

11. 

I am trusting Thee for pardon ; 

At Thy feet I bow, 
For Thy grace and tender mercy, 
Trusting now. 

III. 

I am trusting Thee for cleansing 

In the crimson flood ; 
Trusting Thee to make me holy 
By Thy blood. 



EVENING 7 'NOUGHTS. 137 

IV. 

I am trusting Thee to guide me ; 

Thou alone shalt lead ! 
Every day and hour supplying 
All my need. 

V. 

I am trusting Thee for power ; 

Thine can never fail ! 
Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me, 
Must prevail. 

VI. 

I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus ; 

Never let me fall ! 
I am trusting Thee for ever, 
And for all. 



THIRTEENTH DAY. 



looking unto 3esu0, 

1. 

LOOKING unto Jesus ! 
Battle-shout of faith, 
Shield o'er all the armour, 
Free from scar or scathe. 



138 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 

Standard of salvation, 
In our hearts unfurled, 

Let its elevation 

Overcome the world ! 

II. 

Look away to Jesus ! 

Look away from all ; 
Then we need not stumble, 

Then we shall not fall. 
From each snare that lureth 

Foe or phantom grim, 
Safety this ensureth : 

Look away to Him. 

III. 

Looking into Jesus ! 

Wonderingly we trace 
Heights of power and glory, 

Depths of love and grace. 
Vistas far unfolding, 

Ever stretch before, 
As we gaze, beholding 

Ever more and more. 

IV. 

Looking up to Jesus 

On the emerald throne ! 
Faith shall pierce the heavens 

Where our King is gone. 
Lord, on Thee depending, 

Now, continually, 
Heart and mind ascending, 

Let us dwell with Thee. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. no 

FOURTEENTH DAY. 



©bining* 
i. 

ARE you shining for Jesus, dear one ? 
You have given your heart to Him ; 
But is the light strong within it, 

Or is it but pale and dim ? 
Can everybody see it, — 

That Jesus is all to you ? 
That your love to Him is burning 

With radiance warm and true ? 
Is the seal upon your forehead, 

So that it must be known 
That you are ' all for Jesus,' — 

That your heart is all His own ? 



II. 



Are you shining for Jesus, dear one ? 

You remember the first sweet ray, 
When the sun arose upon you 

And brought the gladsome day ; 
When you heard the gospel message, 

And Jesus Himself drew near, 
And helped you to trust Him simply, 

And took away your fear ; 



140 



EVE NIX G THOUGHTS. 

When the darkness and the shadows 

Fled like a weary night, 
And you felt that you could praise Him, 

And everything seemed bright. 

III. 

Are you shining for Jesus, dear one, 

So that the holy light 
May enter the hearts of others, 

And make them glad and bright? 
Have you spoken a word for Jesus, 

And told to some around, 
Who do not care about Him, 

What a Saviour you have found? 
Have you lifted the lamp for others, 

That has guided your own glad feet ? 
Have you echoed the loving message, 

That seemed to you so sweet ? 

IV. 

Are you shining for Jesus, dear one, — ■ 

Shining for Him all day, 
Letting the light burn always 

Along the varied way ? 
Always, — when those beside you 

Are walking in the dark? 
Always, — when no one is helping, 

Or heeding your tiny spark ? 
Not idly letting it flicker 

In every passing breeze 
Of pleasure or temptation, 

Of trouble or of ease ? 



EVENING THOUGHTS. ^j 

V. 

Are you shining for Jesus, dear one, — 

Shining just everywhere, 
Not only in easy places, 

Not only just here or there ? 
Shining in happy gatherings, 

Where all are loved and known ? 
Shining where all are strangers ? 

Shining when quite alone? 
Shining at home, and making 

True sunshine all around ? 
Shining abroad, and faithful — 

Perhaps among faithless— found ? 

VI. 

Are you shining for ^esus, dear one, 

Not for yourself at all ? 
Not because dear ones, watching, 

Would grieve if your lamp should fall ? 
Shining because you are walking 

In the Sun's unclouded rays, 
And you cannot help reflecting 

The light on which you gaze ? 
Shining because it shineth 

So warm and bright above, 
That you must let out the gladness, 

And you must show forth the love P 

VII. 

Are you shining for Jesus, dear one? 
Or is there a little sigh 



142 



E VENING THO UGHTS. 

That the lamp His love had lighted 

Does not burn clear and high ? 
Is the heavenly crown that waits you, 

Still, still without a star, 
Because your light was hidden, 

And sent no rays afar ? 
Do you feel you have not loved Him 

With a love right brave and loyal, 
But have faintly fought and followed 

His banner bright and royal ? 

VIII. 

Oh, come again to Jesus ! 

Come as you came at first, 
And tell Him all that hinders, 

And tell Him all the worst ; 
And take His sweet forgiveness 

As you took it once before, 
And hear His kind voice saying, 

' Peace ! go, and sin no more !' 
Then ask for grace and courage 

His name to glorify, 
That never more His precious light 

Your dimness may deny. 

IX. 

Then rise, and, ' watching daily,* 
Ask Him your lamp to trim 

With the fresh oil He giveth, 
That it may not burn dim. 

Yes, rise and shine for Jesus ! 
Be brave, and bright, and true 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 143 

To the true and loving Saviour, 

Who gave Himself for you. 
Oh, shine for Jesus, dear one, 

And henceforth be your way 
Bright with the light that shineth 

Unto the perfect day ! 



FIFTEENTH DAY. 



(Syowing* 
1. 

UNTO him that hath, Thou givest 
Ever 'more abundantly, 1 
Lord, I live because Thou livest, 

Therefore give more life to me ; 
Therefore speed me in the race ; 
Therefore let me grow in grace. 

II. 

Deepen all Thy work, O Master, 
Strengthen every downward root, 

Only do Thou ripen faster, 

More and more, Thy pleasant fruit. 

Purge me, prune me, self abase, 

Only let me grow in grace. 

III. 

Jesus, grace for grace outpouring, 
Show me ever greater things ; 



144 



E KEATING THO UGHTS. 

Raise me higher, sunward soaring, 

Mounting as on eagle-wings. 
By the brightness of Thy face, 
Jesus, let me grow in grace. 

IV. 

Let me grow by sun and shower, 

Every moment water me ; 
Make me really hour by hour 

More and more conformed to Thee. 
That Thy loving eye may trace, 
Day by day, my growth in grace. 



Let me then be always growing, 

Never, never standing still ; 
Listening, learning, better knowing 
Thee and Thy most blessed will- 
Till I reach Thy holy place, 
Daily let me grow in grace. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



SIXTEENTH DAY. 



H5 



IRestfng, 

* This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest ; 
and this is the refreshing.' — Isa. xxviii. 12. 

I. 

RESTING on the faithfulness of Christ our 
Lord; 
Resting on the fulness of His own sure word ; 
Resting on His power, on His love untold ; 
Resting on His covenant secured of old. 

II. 

Resting 'neath His guiding hand for untracked 

days; 
Resting 'neath His shadow from the noontide rays ; 
Resting at the eventide beneath His wing ; 
In the fair pavilion of our Saviour King. 

III. 

Resting in the fortress while the foe is nigh; 
Resting in the lifeboat while the waves roll high ; 
Resting in His chariot for the swift, glad race ; 
Resting, always resting in His boundless grace. 



I4 6 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

IV. 

Resting in the pastures, and beneath the Rock ; 
Resting by the waters where He leads His flock ; 
Resting, while we listen, at His glorious feet ; 
Resting in His very arms ! — O rest complete I 

V. 

Resting and believing, let us onward press ; 
Resting in Himself, the Lord our Righteousness ; 
Resting and rejoicing, let His saved ones sing, 
Glory, glory, glory be to Christ our King ! 



SEVENTEENTH DAY. 



filling. 

' Filled with all the fulness of God.' — Eph. iii. 19. 



HOLY Father, Thou hast spoken 
Words beyond our grasp of thought- 
Words of grace and power unbroken, 
With mysterious glory fraught. 



E VEXIXG TH O UGH 1 S. 
II. 

Promise and command combining, 
Doubt to chase and faith to lift ; 

Self renouncing, all resigning, 
We would claim this mighty gift. 

III. 

Take us, Lord, oh, take us truly, 
Mind and soul and heart and will ; 

Empty us and cleanse us throughly, 
Then with all thy fulness fill. 

IV. 

Lord, we ask it, hardly knowing 
What this wondrous gift may be, 

But fulfil to overflowing, — 
Thy great meaning let us see. 

V. 

Make us in Thy royal palace 
Vessels worthy for the King ; 

From Thy fulness fill our chalice, 
From Thy never-failing spring. 

VI. 

Father, by this blessed filling, 
Dwell Thyself in us, we pray ; 

We are waiting, Thou art willing, 
Fill us with Thyself to-day ! 



147 



E VEN1NG THO UGHTS. 



EIGHTEENTH DAY. 



flncrease our ffaitb, 

' Lord, increase our faith.' — Luke xvii. 5. 
I. 

INCREASE our faith, beloved Lord ! 
For Thou alone canst give 
The faith that takes Thee at Thy word, 
The faith by which we live. 

II. 

Increase our faith ! So weak are we, 

That we both may and must 
Commit our very faith to Thee, 

Entrust to Thee our trust. 

III. 

Increase our faith ! for there is yet 

Much land to be possessed ; 
And by no other strength we get 

Our heritage of rest. 

IV. 

Increase our faith ! On this broad shield 
1 Air fiery darts be caught ; 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 

We must be victors in the field 
Where Thou for us hast fought. 

V. 

Increase our faith, that we may claim 

Each starry promise sure, 
And always triumph in Thy name, 

And to the end endure. 

VI. 

Increase our faith, O Lord, we pray, 

That we may not depart 
From Thy commands, but all obey 

With free and loyal heart. 

VII. 

Increase our faith — increase it still — 
From heavenward hour to hour 

And in us gloriously ' fulfil 

The work of faith with power. ' 

VIII. 

Increase our faith, that never dim 

Or trembling it may be, 
Crowned with the ' perfect peace' of him 

'Whose mind is stayed on Thee.' 

IX. 

Increase our faith, for Thou hast prayed 

That it should never fail ; 
Our steadfast anchorage is made 

With Thee, within the veil. 



149 



i5o 



£ VEXIXG THO UGHTS. 



Increase our faith, that unto Thee 
More fruit may still abound ; 

That it may grow ' exceedingly,' 
And to Thy praise be found. 

XL 

Increase our faith, O Saviour dear, 
By Thy sweet sovereign grace, 

Till, changing faith for vision clear, 
We see Thee face to face ! 



NINETEENTH DAY. 



'IWobob^ IRnows but 3e$u$.' 
i. 

' 1\T 0]B0DY knows but Jesus !' 
IN 'Tis only the old refrain 
Of a quaint, pathetic slave-song, 
But it comes again and again. 

II. 

I only heard it quoted, 

And I do not know the rest ; 

But the music of the message 
Was wonderfully blessed. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. jrj 

III. 

For it fell upon my spirit 

Like sweetest twilight psalm, 
When the breezy sunset waters 

Die into starry calm. 

IV. 

' Nobody knows but Jesus !' 

Is it not better so, 
That no one else but Jesus, 

My own dear Lord, should know? 

V. 

When the sorrow is a secret 

Between my Lord and me, 
I learn the fuller measure 

Of His quick sympathy. 

VI. 

Whether it be so heavy, 

That dear ones could not bear 
To know the bitter burden 

They could not come and share ; 

VII. 

Whether it be so tiny, 

That others could not see 
Why it should be a trouble, 

And seem so real to me \ 



152 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 

VIII. 

Either, and both, I lay them 
Down at my Master's feet, 

And find them, alone with Jesus, 
Mysteriously sweet. 

IX. 

Sweet, for they bring me closer 
To the dearest, truest Friend ; 

Sweet, for He comes the nearer, 
As 'neath the cross I bend; 



Sweet, for they are the channels 
Through which His teachings flow ; 

Sweet, for by these dark secrets 
His heart of love I know. 



XI. 

'Nobody knows but Jesus !' 

It is music for to-day, 
And through the darkest hours 

It will chime along the way. 

XII. 

1 Nobody knows but Jesus !' 
My Lord, I bless Thee now 

For the sacred gift of sorrow 
That no one knows but Thou. 



E VEXING THO UGHTS. 



TWENTIETH DAY. 



153 



Ibe is Zby %tfe< 



JESUS, Thy life is mine ! 
Dwell evermore in me ; 
And let me see 
That nothing can untwine 
My life from Thine. 



II. 



Thy life in me be shown ! 
Lord, I would henceforth seek 

To think and speak 
Thy thoughts, Thy words alone, 

No more my own. 

III. 

Thy love, Thy joy, Thy peace, 
Continuously impart 

Unto my heart 
Fresh springs, that never cease 

But still increase. 



154 



E VENING THO UGH 7 SI 

IV. 

The blest reality 

Of resurrection power, 

Thy Church's dower, 
Life more abundantly, 

Lord, give to me ! 



Thy fullest gift, O Lord, 
Now at Thy feet I claim, 

Through Thy dear name ! 
And touch the rapturous chord 

Of praise forth poured. 

VI. 

Jesus, my life is Thine, 
And evermore shall be 

Hidden in Thee ! 
For nothing can untwine 

Thy life from mine. 



TWENTY-FIRST DAY. 



i. 

I AM so weak, dear Lord, I cannot stand 
One moment without Thee ! 
Eut oh ! the tenderness of Thine enfolding. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 



155 



And oh ! the faithfulness of Thine upholding, 
And oh ! the strength of Thy right hand ! 
That strength is enough for me ! 

II. 

I am so needy, Lord, and yet I know 

All fulness dwells in Thee ; 
And hour by hour that never-failing treasure 
Supplies and fills, in overflowing measure, 
My least, my greatest need ; and so 
Thy grace is enough for me ! 

III. 

It is so sweet to trust Thy word alone : 

I do not ask to see 
The unveiling of Thy purpose, or the shining 
Of future light on mysteries untwining : 
Thy promise-roll is all my own, — 

Thy word is enough for me ! 

IV. 

The human heart asks love ; but now I know 

That my heart hath from Thee 
All real, and full, and marvellous affection, 
So near, so human ; yet divine perfection 
Thrills gloriously the mighty glow ! 

Thy love is enough for me ! 

V. 

There were strange soul-depths, restless, vast, and 
broad, 
Unfathomed as the sea ; 



i 5 6 



E J EXIXG THO UGHTS. 



An infinite craving for some infinite stilling; 
But now Thy perfect love is perfect filling I 
Lord Jesus Christ, my Lord, my God, 
Thou, Thou art enough for me ! 



TWENTY-SECOND DAY. 



i. 

GOD'S reiterated 'all! ' 
O wondrous word of peace and power ! 
Touching with its tuneful fall 
The rising of each hidden hour, 

All the day. 

II. 

Only all His word believe, 

All peace and joy your heart shall fill, 
All things asked ye shall receive : 

This is thy Father's word and will, 

For to-day. 

III. 

' A 111 have is thine,' saith He. 

' All things are yours, ' He saith again ; 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 

All the promises for thee 

Are sealed with Jesus Christ's Amen, 

For to-day. 

IV. 

He shall all your need supply, 

And He will make all grace abound ; 

Always all sufficiency 

In Him for all things shall be found, 

For to-day. 

V. 

All His work He shall fulfil, 

All the good pleasure of His will, 

Keeping thee in all thy ways, 
And with thee always, ' all the days,' 

And to-day! 



157 



TWENTY-THIRD DAY. 



1. 



ONLY a mortal's powers, 
Weak at their fullest strength ; 
Only a few swift-flashing hours, 
Short at their fullest length. 



i 5 8 



E VENING THO UG II 7 S. 

II. 

Only a page for the eye, 
Only a word for the ear, 

Only a smile, and by and by 
Only a quiet tear. 

III. 

Only one heart to give, 
Only one voice to use ; 

Only one little life to live, 
And only one to lose. 

IV. 

Poor is my best and small : 
How could I dare divide ? 

Surely my Lord shall have it all, 
He shall not be denied ! 



V. 



All ! for far more I owe 
Than all I have to bring ; 

All ! for my Saviour loves me so ! 
All ! for I love my King ! 



VI. 

All ! for it is His own, 
He gave the tiny store ; 

All ! for it must be His alone j 
All ! for I have no more. 



EVE NIX G TI J OUGHTS. j^q 

VII. 

All ! for the last and least 

He stoopeth to uplift : 
The altar of my great High Priest 

Shall sanctify my gift. 



TWENTY-FOURTH DAY. 



m>£ flfcaster. 

' I love my master ; . . . I will not go out free. 
And he shall serve him for ever.' — Ex. xxi. 5, 6. 

I. 

I LOVE, I love my Master, 
I will not go out free, 
For He is my Redeemer, 
He paid the price for me. 

II. 

I would not leave His service, 

It is so sweet and blest ; 
And in the weariest moments 

He gives the truest rest. 

III. 

I would not halve my service, 

His only it must be, — 
His only, who so loved me 

And gave Himself for me. 



l6o EVENING THOUGHTS. 

IV. 

My Master shed His life-blood 
My vassal life to win, 

And save me from the bondage 
Of tyrant self and sin. 

V. 

He chose me for His service, 
And gave me power to choose 

That blessed, ' perfect freedom ' 
Which I shall never lose ; 



VI. 

For He hath met my longing 
With word of golden tone, 

That I shall serve for ever 
Himself, Himself alone. 

VII. 

* Shall serve Him ' hour by hour, 

For He will show me how ; 
My Master is fulfilling 
His promise even now ! 

VIII. 

* Shall serve Him,' and ' for ever;' 

O hope most sure, most fair ! 
The perfect love outpouring 
In perfect service there ! 



EVENING THOUGHTS. j5j 

IX. 

Rejoicing and adoring, 

Henceforth my song shall be \ 
I love, I love my Master, 

I will not go out free ! 



TWENTY-FIFTH DAY. 



perfect peace* 

i. 

LIKE a river glorious 
Is God's perfect peace, 
Over all victorious 

In its bright increase. 
Perfect — yet it floweth 

Fuller every day ; 
Perfect — yet it groweth 

Deeper all the way. 
Chorus. Stayed upon Jehovah, 

Hearts are fully blest, 
Finding, as He promised, 
Perfect peace and rest. 

II. 

Hidden in the hollow 
Of His blessed hand, 



!62 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

Never foe can follow, 
Never traitor stand. 
Not a surge of worry, 
Not a shade of care, 
Not a blast of hurry 

Touch the spirit there. 
Chorus. Stayed upon Jehovah, 

Hearts are fully blest, 
Finding, as He promised, 
Perfect peace and rest. 

III. 

Every joy or trial 

Falleth from above, 
Traced upon our dial 

By the Sun of Love. 
We may trust Him solely 

All for us to do ; 
They who trust Him wholly, 

Find Him wholly true. 
Chorus. Stayed upon Jehovah, 

Hearts are fully blest, 
Finding, as He promised, 
Perfect peace and rest. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. ^ 



TWENTY-SIXTH DAY. 



IF am witb £bee* 



* T AM with thee ! ' He hath said it 
i- In His truth and tender grace 3 
Sealed the promise, grandly spoken, 
With how many a mighty token 
Of his love and faithfulness. 



II. 



He is with thee ! — In thy dwelling, 

Shielding thee from fear of ill ; 
All thy burdens kindly bearing, 
For thy dear ones gently caring, 
Guarding, keeping, blessing still, 

III. 

He is with thee ! — In thy service 

He is with thee ' certainly,' 
Filling with the Spirit's power, 
Giving in the needing hour 
His own messages by thee. 



1 64 evening thoughts. 

IV. 

He is with thee ! — With thy spirit, 
With thy lips, or with thy pen ; 
In the quiet preparation, 
In the heart-bowed congregation, 
Nevermore alone again ! 

V. 

He is with thee ! — With thee always, 

All the nights and all the days ; 
Never failing, never frowning, 
With His loving-kindness crowning, 
Tuning all thy life to praise. 

VI. 

He is with thee ! — Thine own Master, 

Leading, loving to the end ; 
Brightening joy and lightening sorrow, 
All to-day, yet more to-morrow, 
King and Saviour, Lord and Friend, 

VII. 

He is with thee ! — Yes, for ever, 

Now, and through eternity ; 
Then with Him for ever dwelling, 
Thou shalt share His joy excelling, 

Thou with Christ and Christ with thee ! 



EVE AUNG THOUGHTS. ^ 

TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY. 



Gruat anfc ©tetrust 
i. 

DISTRUST thyself, but trust His grace ; 
It is enough for thee ! 
In every trial thou shalt trace 
Its all-sufficiency. 

II. 

Distrust thyself, but trust His strength; 

In Him thou shalt be strong : 
His weakest ones may learn at length 

A daily triumph-song. 

III. 

Distrust thyself, but trust His love ; 

Rest in its changeless glow : 
And life or death shall only prove 

Its everlasting flow. 

IV. 

Distrust thyself, but trust alone 

In Him, for all — for ever ! 
And joyously thy heart shall own 

That Jesus faileth never. 



1^6 EVEXIXG THOUGHTS. 



TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY. 



Mitbout Carefulness, 

' I would have you without carefulness.' — I Cor. vii. 32. 
I. 

MASTER ! how shall I bless Thy name 
For Thy tender love to me, 
For the sweet enablings of Thy grace, 

So sovereign, yet so free, 
That have taught me to obey Thy word 
And cast my care on Thee ! 

II. 

They tell of weary burdens borne 

For discipline of life, 
Of long anxieties and doubts, 

Of struggle and of strife, 
Of a path of dim perplexities 

With fears and shadows rife. 

III. 

Oh, I have trod that weary path, 

With burdens not a few, 
With shadowy faith that Thou wouldst lead 

And help me safely through, 
Trying to follow and obey, 

And bear my burdens too. 



EVENING THOUGHTS. ^n 

IV. 

Master ! dear Master, Thou didst speak, 

And yet I did not hear, 
Or long ago I might have ceased 

From every care and fear, 
And gone rejoicing on my way 

From brightening year to year. 

V. 

Just now and then some steeper slope 

Would seem so hard to climb, 
That I must cast my load on Thee ; 

And I left it for a time, 
And wondered at the joy at heart, 

Like sweetest Christmas chime. 

VI. 

A step or two on winged feet, 

And then I turned to share 
The burden Thou hadst taken up 

Of ever-pressing care; 
So that I would not leave with Thee 

Of course I had to bear. 

VII. 

At last Thy precious precepts fell 

On opened heart and ear, 
A varied and repeated strain 

I could not choose but hear, 
Enlinking promise and command, 

Like harp and clarion clear : 



1 68 EVENING THOUGHTS. 

VIII. 

6 No anxious thought upon thy brow 
The watching world should see ; 

No carefulness ! O child of God, 
For nothing careful be ! 

But cast thou all thy care on Him 
Who always cares for thee.' 

IX. 

Did not Thy loving Spirit come 

In gentle, gracious shower, 
To work Thy pleasure in my soul 

In that bright, blessed hour, 
And to the word of strong command 

Add faith and will and power? 

X. 

It was Thy word, it was Thy will — 

That was enough for me ! 
Henceforth no care shall dim my trust, 

For all is cast on Thee ; 
Henceforth my inmost heart shall praise 

The grace that set me free. 

XL 

And now I find Thy promise true, 

Of perfect peace and rest ; 
I cannot sigh — I can but sing 

While leaning on Thy breast, 
And leaving everything to Thee, 

Whose ways are always best. 






E VENING THO UGHTS. 

XII. 

I never thought it could be thus, — 

Month after month to know 
The river of Thy peace without 

One ripple in its flow ; 
Without one quiver in the trust, 

One flicker in its glow. 

XIII. 

Oh, Thou hast done far more for me 

Than I had asked or thought ! 
I stand and marvel to behold 

What Thou, my Lord, hast wrought, 
And wonder what glad lessons yet 

I shall be daily taught. 

XIV. 

How shall I praise Thee, Saviour dear, 

For this new life so sweet, 
For taking all the care I laid 

At Thy beloved feet. 
Keeping Thy hand upon my heart 

To still each anxious beat ! 

XV. 

I want to praise, with life renewed, 

As I never praised before ; 
With voice and pen, with song and speech, 

To praise thee more and more, 



169 



170 



EVE XING THOUGHTS. 



And the gladness and the gratitude 
Rejoicingly outpour. 

XVI. 

I long to praise Thee more, and yet 

This is no care to me : 
If Thou shalt fill my mouth with songs, 

Then I will sing to Thee ; 
And if my silence praise Thee best, 

Then silent I will be. 

XVII. 

Yet if it be Thy will, dear Lord, 

Oh, send me forth, to be 
Thy messenger to careful hearts, 

To bid them taste and see 
How good Thou art to those who cast 

All, all their care on Thee ! 



EVENING THOUGHTS. 171 

TWENTY-NINTH DAY. 



£b£ IReigru 

' Righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 
Rom. xiv. 17. 

I. 

THY reign is righteousness s 
Not mine, but Thine ! — 
A covering no less 
Than the broad, bright waves of Thy great sea, 
That roll triumphantly 
From line to pole, and pole to line ; 
A reign where every rebel thought 

In sweet captivity 
To Thine obedience is brought. 

II. 

Thy reign is perfect peace ; 
Not mine, but Thine ! — 
A stream that cannot cease, 
For its fountain is Thy heart. O depth unknown ! 
Thou givest of Thine own, 
Pouring from Thine and filling mine. 
The ' noise of war ' hath passed away ; 

God's peace is on the throne, 
Ruling with undisputed sway. 



iy 2 E VEX1XG 1 HO UGHTS. 

III. 

Thy reign is joy divine ; 
Not mine, but Thine; 
Or else not any joy to me ! 
For a joy that flowed not from Thine own, 
Since Thou hast reigned alone, 
Were vacancy or misery. 
O sunshine of Thy realm, how bright 

This radiance from Thy throne, 
Unspeakable in calmest light ! 



IV. 



Thy reign shall still increase ! 

I claim Thy word, — 
Let righteousness and peace 
And joy in the Holy Ghost be found, 
And more and more abound 
In me, through Thee, O Christ my Lord; 
Take unto Thee Thy power, who art 

My Sovereign, many-crowned ! 
Stablish Thy kingdom in my heart. 



EVE XIX G THOUGHTS. j^ 



THIRTIETH DAY. 



XTrieb t precious, Sure* 

f ' The Same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.'— 
Jesus Heb. xiii. 8. 

Christ 1 « A stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a 
sure foundation.' — Isa. xxviii. 1 6. 



THROUGH the yesterday of ages, 
Jesus, Thou hast been The Same ; 
Through our own life's chequered pages, 

Still the one dear changeless Name. 
Well may we in Thee confide, 
Faithful Saviour, proved and ' tried 1 ' 

II. 

Joyfully we stand and witness 
Thou art still to-day The Same ; 

In Thy perfect, glorious fitness, 
Meeting every need and claim. 

Chiefest of ten thousand Thou ! 

Saviour, O most * precious/ now! 

III. 

Gazing down the far for ever, 

Brighter glows the one sweet Name, 



174 



E VE A T ING THO UGHTS. 

Steadfast radiance, paling never, 

Jesus, Jesus ! still The Same. 
Evermore 'Thou shalt endure,' 
Our own Saviour, strong and ' sure !' 



THIRTY-FIRST DAY. 



3u6t vohcn £bou Milt 

i. 

JUST when Thou wilt, O Master, call, 
Or at the noon, or evening fall, 
Or in the dark, or in the light, — 
Just when Thou wilt, it must be right. 



II. 



Just when Thou wilt, O Saviour, come, 
Take me to dwell in Thy bright home ! 
Or when the snows have crowned my head, 
Or ere it hath one silver thread. 



III. 



Just when Thou wilt, O Bridegroom, say, 
' Rise up, my love, and come away !' 



E VENING THO UGHTS. 

Open to me Thy golden gate, 

Just when Thou wilt, or soon, or late. 



IV. 



Just when Thou wilt — Thy time is best — 
Thou shalt appoint my hour of rest, 
Marked by the Sun of perfect love, 
Shining unchangeably above. 



Just when Thou wilt ! — no choice for me ! 
Life is a gift to use for Thee ; 
Death is a hushed and glorious tryst, 
With Thee, my King, my Saviour, Christ 1 



175 



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Complete in one volume. 

10 THE SCARLET LETTER, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. 



11 THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES, by 

Nathaniel Hawthorne. 

12 MOSSES FROM AN OLD MANSE, by Nathaniel 

Hawthorne. 



HENRY ALTEMUS' PUBLICATIONS. 



Altemus' New Illustrated Vademecum Series — 
continued. 



13 TWICE TOLD TALES, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. 



14 THE ESSAYS OF FRANCIS (LORD) BACON 

WITH MEMOIRS AND NOTES. 

15 ESSAYS, First Series, by Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

16 ESSAYS, Second Series, by Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

17 REPRESENTATIVE MEN, by Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

Mental portraits each representing a class. 1. The 
Philosopher. 2. The Mystic. 3. The Skeptic. 4. The 
Poet. 5. The Man of the World. 6. The Writer. 

18 THOUGHTS OF THE EMPEROR MARCUS 

AURELIUS ANTONINUS, translated by George 
Long. 

19 THE DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS WITH THE 

ENCHIRIDION, translated by George Long. 



20 OF THE IMITATION OF CHRIST, by Thomas 

A x Kempis. Four books complete in one volume. 

21 ADDRESSES, by Professor Henry Drummond. The 

Greatest Thing in the World ; Pax Vobiscum ; The 
Changed Life; How to Learn How; Dealing With 
Doubt ; Preparation for Learning ; What is a Chris- 
tian ; The Study of the Bible ; A Talk on Books. 

22 LETTERS, SENTENCES AND MAXIMS, by Lord 

Chesterfield. Masterpieces of good taste, good writing 
and good sense. 

23 REVERIES OF A BACHELOR. A book of the 

heart. By Ik Marvel. 

24 DREAM LIFE, by Ik Marvel. A companion to " Reve- 

ries of a Bachelor." 

25 SARTOR RESARTUS, by Thomas Carlyle. 

26 HEROES AND HERO WORSHIP, by Thomas Car- 

lyle. 

27 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, by Harriet Beecher Stowe. 



28 ESSAYS OF ELIA, by Charles Lamb. 



HENRY ALTEMUS' PUBLICATIONS. 



Altemus' New Illustrated Vademecum Series- 
continued. 



29 MY POINT OF VIEW. Representative selections from 

the works of Professor Henry Drummond by William 
Shepard. 

30 THE SKETCH BOOK, by Washington Irving. Com- 

plete. 

31 KEPT FOR THE MASTER'S USE, by Frances 

Ridley Havergal. 

32 LUCILE, by Owen Meredith. 

33 LALLA ROOKH, by Thomas Moore. 

34 THE LADY OF THE LAKE, by Sir Walter Scott. 

35 MARMION, by Sir Walter Scott. 

36 THE PRINCESS ; AND MAUD, by Alfred (Lord) 

Tennyson. 

37 CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE, by Lord 

Byron. 

38 IDYLLS OF THE KING, by Alfred (Lord) Tennyson. 
3g EVANGELINE, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 

40 VOICES OF THE NIGHT AND OTHER POEMS, 

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 

41 THE QUEEN OF THE AIR, by John Ruskin. A 

study of the Greek myths of cloud and storm. 

42 THE BELFRY OF BRUGES AND OTHER 

POEMS, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 



43 POEMS, Volume I, by John Greenleaf Whittier. 

44 POEMS, Volume II, by John Greenleaf Whittier. 



HENRY ALTEMUS' PUBLICATIONS. 

Altemus' New Illustrated Vademecum Series- 
continued. 



45 THE RAVEN; AND OTHER POEMS, by Edgar 

Allan Poe. 

46 THANATOPSIS;AND OTHER POEMS, by William 

Cullen Bryant. 

47 THE LAST LEAF;AND OTHER POEMS, by Oliver 

Wendell Holmes. 

48 THE HEROES OR GREEK FAIRY TALES, by 

Charles Kingsley. 

4 g A WONDER BOOK, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. 

50 UNDINE, by de La Motte Fouque. 

51 ADDRESSES, by the Rt. Rev. Phillips Brooks. 

52 BALZAC'S SHORTER STORIES, by Honore de 

Balzac. 

53 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST, by Richard 

H. Dana, Jr. 

54 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. An Autobiography. 

55 THE LAST ESSAYS OF ELIA, by Charles Lamb. 

56 TOM BROWN'S SCHOOL DAYS, by Thomas 

Hughes. 

57 "WEIRD TALES, by Edgar Allan Poe. 

58 THE CROWN OF WILD OLIVE, by John Ruskin. 

Three lectures on Work, Traffic and War. 

59 NATURAL LAW IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD, 

by Professor Henry Drummond. 

60 ABBE CONSTANTIN, by Ludovic Halevy. 

61 MANON LESCAUT, by Abbe Prevost. 



HENRY ALTEMUS' PUBLICATIONS. 



Altemus' New Illustrated Vademecum Series- 
continued. 



62 THE ROMANCE OF A POOR YOUNG MAN, by 

Octave Feuillet. 

63 BLACK BEAUTY, by Anna Sewell. 

64 CAMILLE, by Alexander Dumas, Jr. 

65 THE LIGHT OF ASIA, by Sir Edwin Arnold. 



66 THE LAYS OF ANCIENT ROME, by Thcmas 

Babington Macaulay. 

67 THE CONFESSIONS OF AN ENGLISH OPIUM- 

EATER, by Thomas De Quincey. 

68 TREASURE ISLAND, by Robert L. Stevenson. 



6g CARMEN, by Prosper Merimee. 

70 A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY, by Laurence Sterne. 



71 THE BLITHEDALE ROMANCE, by Nathaniel 

Hawthorne. 

72 BAB BALLADS, AND SAVOY SONGS, by W. H. 

Gilbert. 

73 FANCHON, THE CRICKET, by George Sand. 



74 POEMS, by James Russell Lowell. 

75 JOHN PLOUGHMAN'S TALK, by the Rev. Charles 

H. Spurgeon, 

76 JOHN PLOUGHMAN'S PICTURES, by the Rev. 

Charles H. Spurgeon. 

77 THE MANLINESS OF CHRIST, by Thomas 

Hughes. 

78 ADDRESSES TO YOUNG MEN, by the Rev. Henry 

Ward Beecher. 

79 THE AUTOCRAT OF THE BREAKFAST 

TABLE, by Oliver Wendell Holmes. 



HENRY ALTEMUS' PUBLICATIONS. 



Altemus' New Illustrated Vademecum Series- 
continued. 



80 MULVANEY STORIES, by Rudyard Kipling. 

81 BALLADS, by Rudyard Kipling. 

82 MORNING THOUGHTS, by Frances Ridley Havergal. 

83 TEN NIGHTS IN A BAR ROOM, by T. S. Arthur. 

84 EVENING THOUGHTS, by Frances Ridley Havergal. 

85 IN MEMORIAM, by Alfred (Lord) Tennyson. 

86 COMING TO CHRIST, by Frances Ridley Havergal. 

87 HOUSE OF THE WOLF, by Stanley Weyman. 



AMERICAN POLITICS (non-Partisan), by Hon. Thomas 
V. Cooper. A history of all the Political Parties with their 
views and records on all important questions. All political 
platforms from the beginning to date. Great Speeches on 
Great issues. Parliamentary Practice and tabulated history 
of chronological events. A library without this work is de- 
ficient. 8vo., 750 pages. Cloth, $3.00. Full Sheep Library 
style, $4.00. 

NAMES FOR CHILDREN, by Elisabeth Robinson Scovil, 
author of "The Care of Children," "Preparation for 
Motherhood." In family life there is no question of greater 
weight or importance than naming the baby. The author 
gives much good advice and many suggestions on the sub- 
ject. Cloth, i2mo., $ .40. 

TRIF AND TRIXY,byJohn Habberton, author of "Helen's 
Babies." The story is replete with vivid and spirited 
scenes; and is incomparably the happiest and most de- 
lightful work Mr. Habberton has yet written. Cloth, 
i2mo., $ .35. 






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